Category Archives: Civil Rights
Proposed Federal Law Could Have Broad Repercussions on Civil Rights
A bill that was introduced in the House this month (September) has many civil rights advocates extremely concerned: H.R. 3697—titled the “Criminal Alien Gang Member Removal Act—would create sweeping grounds for barring entry and/or justifying the deportation of immigrants based on mere suspicions of gang affiliation. Perhaps of most concern is how key terms—such… Read More »
One Stay of Execution Issued Highlights a System Rampant With Problems
On August 22nd, Gov. Eric Greitens granted a stay of execution for Marcellus Williams, who was convicted 16 years ago for the 1998 murder of former reporter Felicia Gayle. The governor also ordered a board of inquiry to look into the case because of a series of issues found embedded in the original conviction…. Read More »
New York Investigating New Device To Crack Down On Cellphone Violations, But Is It Constitutional?
According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, almost 3,000 people were injured in cellphone-related crashes in New York between 2011 and 2015, with more than one million tickets issued for cellphone violations in that same time period. On July 26th, New York State announced that it would set in motion a… Read More »
Is The Department Of Justice Seeking To Prosecute Everyone Who Is Anti-Trump For Criminal Activity?
The Department of Justice is currently seeking 1.3 million IP addresses that accessed a website advertising inauguration day protests, i.e. the website of “Disrupt J20,” which hosted information concerning organized protests on President Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. The justification for the search? That some of the protests turned violent, and… Read More »
Legalizing Undocumented Immigrants with Prior Offenses Who Worked At Ground Zero
Several New York legislators are working to not only legalize undocumented workers who worked on the rescue, cleanup, and recovery efforts during the aftermath of 9/11, but who also have recently been placed in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities for drug and nonviolent offenses committed long ago—as far back as the… Read More »
While Street Stops Are On the Decline in New York, Racial Profiling Is Still a Huge Problem
A new statistical analysis conducted by a federal monitor has revealed that street stops by New York City police officers—a form of search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment—have been on the decline since 2011. However, racial disparity (profiling) when it comes to these stops still appears to be an issue. The analysis was… Read More »
Administration Seeks To Curtail Rights for Detainees in Correctional Facilities
Although it’s hard to believe that any given administration would have the ability to significantly change the specific rules and requirements concerning prisoners’ civil rights, in fact, as recently highlighted by the New York Times, many detained immigrants are now worried over what might happen to their basic rights while being held in prison… Read More »
The Future for Federal Efforts to Curb Police Abuse in the Cities
There’s been a lot of discussion of “consent decrees” as they apply to police abuse and the Justice Department in the news of late. These consent decrees are court-enforced agreements between cities and the federal Justice Department on how to reform city police departments accused of civil rights and systemic constitutional violations. Widely supported… Read More »
How the New Attorney General May Affect Criminal Prosecutions and your Rights
Now that Jeff Sessions has been confirmed as attorney general at the Justice Department, it is important to note what effect he will likely have on federal civil rights enforcement, as this will affect countless numbers of people who are subject to police abuse, racial profiling, and numerous other civil rights violations. Specifically, the… Read More »
Justices Hear Case on When Immigrants Can Be Deported For Crimes
President Trump’s recent rules on immigration have sparked controversy, protests, and litigation recently, only a few days after the Supreme Court considered how broad the government’s authority is in terms of deporting immigrants who have been convicted of “serious crimes.” The question is ultimately part of a bigger picture concerning the administration’s definition of… Read More »
