American Arab Anti Discrimination Committee

The following is the text of a letter from ADC President Hala Maksoud to President George W. Bush urging that the Administration adhere to the President's campaign pledge to end the use of secret evidence by the Justice Department and INS. To add your support, you can email President Bush at < president@whitehouse.gov>.

TEXT OF LETTER FROM HALA MAKSOUD TO PRESIDENT BUSH:

July 13, 2001

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C., 20500

Dear President Bush,

I am writing on behalf of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (“ADC”), the largest grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Arab Americans in the United States. The purpose of this letter is to express our appreciation for Attorney General John Ashcroft’s remarks reaffirming your campaign promise to eliminate the use of secret evidence by the Immigration and Nationalization Service (“INS”) and to draw your attention to two new Texas cases in which the INS has recently requested to use secret evidence.

Mr. Ashcroft reaffirmed your administration’s commitment during his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on June 6, 2001. Mr. Ashcroft stated, “We have not to date during this administration used secret evidence,” and echoed your concerns about the unconstitutionality of such a practice. Also, during his confirmation hearing Mr. Ashcroft stated in writing, "I am troubled by some of the stories I have heard about the use of secret evidence and believe that such uses must be reconciled with due process. While I cannot comment on specific legislation, I look forward to working with you to find a way, consistent with national security, to protect the rights of citizens and aspiring citizens coming to our nation."

ADC is confident that you will reaffirm your position on this issue by requesting that Mr. Ashcroft direct the INS to stop pursuing the two recent secret evidence cases in Texas and by supporting the pending legislation to eliminate or curtail the use of secret evidence.

I thank you for publicly speaking out against the use of secret evidence during your campaign and for making it a campaign promise to eliminate this unconstitutional practice.

Sincerely,
Hala Maksoud, Ph.D.
President, ADC

	13 July, 2001
	ADC Letter to President Bush on Secret Evidence


	The following is the text of a letter from ADC President Hala Maksoud to President George W. Bush urging that the Administration adhere to the President's campaign pledge to end the use of secret evidence by the Justice Department and INS. To add your support, you can email President Bush at < president@whitehouse.gov>. TEXT OF LETTER FROM HALA MAKSOUD TO PRESIDENT BUSH: July 13, 2001 President George W. Bush The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C., 20500 Dear President Bush, I am writing on behalf of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (“ADC”), the largest grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Arab Americans in the United States. The purpose of this letter is to express our appreciation for Attorney General John Ashcroft’s remarks reaffirming your campaign promise to eliminate the use of secret evidence by the Immigration and Nationalization Service (“INS”) and to draw your attention to two new Texas cases in which the INS has recently requested to use secret evidence. Mr. Ashcroft reaffirmed your administration’s commitment during his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on June 6, 2001. Mr. Ashcroft stated, “We have not to date during this administration used secret evidence,” and echoed your concerns about the unconstitutionality of such a practice. Also, during his confirmation hearing Mr. Ashcroft stated in writing, "I am troubled by some of the stories I have heard about the use of secret evidence and believe that such uses must be reconciled with due process. While I cannot comment on specific legislation, I look forward to working with you to find a way, consistent with national security, to protect the rights of citizens and aspiring citizens coming to our nation." ADC is confident that you will reaffirm your position on this issue by requesting that Mr. Ashcroft direct the INS to stop pursuing the two recent secret evidence cases in Texas and by supporting the pending legislation to eliminate or curtail the use of secret evidence. I thank you for publicly speaking out against the use of secret evidence during your campaign and for making it a campaign promise to eliminate this unconstitutional practice. Sincerely, Hala Maksoud, Ph.D. President, ADC