ACLU Urges Conferees to Remove "Real ID" From (Iraq) Funding Measure

[Robbien]

The American Civil Liberties Union today urged Congressional conferees to strip the anti-privacy, anti-asylum, anti-property rights bill from an appropriations measure to fund the war in Iraq and tsunami relief.

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"Proponents are selling the Real ID Act as a fix to the immigration system, when it actually makes thing worse," said Timothy H. Edgar, ACLU Policy Counsel for National Security. "Sadly, Congress did not take the time to carefully consider and review its provisions - if it had, lawmakers would see that the Real ID Act not only denies the persecuted safe haven here, but it would place undue burdens on legal permanent residents and citizens alike. The conferees must reject the Real ID provisions that have been tacked on to the military operations funding measure."

The House sent the Real ID Act to the Senate as part of a "must pass" appropriations measure for the war in Iraq and tsunami relief. Despite objections from Senators that such sweeping changes should not happen without thorough review, House Republican leaders are pushing to keep Real ID in the final conference report. The ACLU noted that neither chamber has held hearings or held thorough discussions on the measure.

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The act goes against international law and allows government officials to demand written "corroboration" from those seeking asylum. For instance, a Chinese woman seeking asylum after being forced to have an abortion could be required to obtain proof of her abuse from the doctors who performed the procedure.

Additionally, the Real ID Act would waive all state and federal laws to give the Department of Homeland Security unconditional authority to build barriers along the entire border -- placing private property in the hands of federal agents for a "land grab" for national security purposes.

http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18112&c=206