Civil and Human Rights Coalition Commends House Reintroduction of the End Racial Profiling Act

Washington – Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement on the introduction of the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA) by Senator Ben Cardin, D. Md., and Representative John Conyers, D. Mich.

“The Leadership Conference thanks Senator Cardin and Representative Conyers for taking this essential step toward ending racial profiling in America.

Racial profiling robs people of their dignity, undermines the integrity of our criminal justice system, and instills fear and distrust among members of targeted communities.

Strong evidence suggests that racial profiling is ineffective and unproductive as a law enforcement tool and makes us all less safe by distracting law enforcement from the pursuit of individuals who pose serious threats to security. Despite this, its use has actually expanded after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the context of counterterrorism; fighting drug trafficking and other ‘street-level’ crimes; and in efforts to enforce immigration laws.

This is true for Muslims, Sikhs, Arab Americans, and South Asians targeted by law enforcement for terrorist activities; for Latinos in places that mimic provisions of Arizona’s S.B. 1070 anti-immigration law; and for African Americans subject to street-level profiling while walking or driving.

We urge Congress to pass ERPA.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.