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US Civil Rights Commission Invitation Letter to Attend Informal
Hearing on Haitian Detainees
June 6, 2002
Les Jin
Staff Director
Office of Staff Director
US Civil Rights Commission
7 th Floor
624 9th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20425
Dear Mr. Lin,
It is our understanding that the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will be holdings hearings in Miami on Thursday, June 20, 2002 to assess the extent of progress on voting reforms in Florida.
We write to invite to the Commission to extend its stay in Miami for an informal briefing about the serious situation involving the continued detention of over two hundred Haitians who are seeking political asylum and freedom in America. Though these individuals have met the legal requirements to be released from detention pending final determination of their asylum claims, they have been subjected to what is apparently a Haitian-only immigration policy by which immigration authorities have kept them confined in Miami detention facilities.
We extend this invitation to the Commission on behalf of our organizations, the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, as well as many other community and human rights organizations, including the Miami-Dade Branch N.A.A.C.P., Haitian Women of Miami, the Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, and Brothers to the Rescue ( Hermanos al Rescate).
We would be happy to assist the Commission and its staff in planning and implementing a briefing that would permit the Commission to hear the concerns of both community leaders, representatives of human rights organizations as well as experts on immigration matters. We would also be pleased to facilitate a visit to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where the female Haitian asylum seekers are being detained.
We look forward to your response, and to our informal briefing.
Sincerely,
Cheryl Little
Executive Director
Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center
Howard Simon
Executive Director
American Civil Liberties Union of Florida
