Know Your Rights Statement On Possible FBI Interviews
Washington, DC | July 18, 2006 | In the past few days, media reports have discussed a possible plan by the FBI to monitor and interview Arab Americans in an effort to identify potential threats to national security (Click here for the article).
According to media reports, this plan may involve tracking and interviewing thousands of Arab nationals and Arab Americans in the United States. This would not be the first time that the FBI has engaged such tactics. Similar initiatives, in the form of voluntary interviews, were conducted by the FBI in 2001 and 2002.
If media reports are correct, this proposed plan would ethnically profile thousands of individuals, including American citizens, which smacks of guilt by association and the criminalization of an entire ethnic population.
ADC emphasizes to members of the Arab-American and Arab immigrant communities that equal protection and due process rights are afforded to everyone, including non-citizens, in the United States. ADC would also like to advise anyone who is contacted by law enforcement authorities concerning this matter of:
1) Their absolute discretion whether to submit to any voluntary interview. This means it is their right to decide whether to submit to an interview.
2) Their right not to answer questions without the presence of an attorney. ADC highly recommends that individuals not participate in any interviews without an attorney.
3) The fact that the FBI cannot threaten to take away their green cards or otherwise interfere with their immigration status. If an FBI agent makes any such threats, the individual has the right to terminate the interview and retain an attorney. Individuals who face any such threats should contact the ADC Legal Department immediately by calling (202) 244-2990 or via email at: legal@adc.org
4) Their absolute discretion in selecting the date, time, and location of any voluntary interview as well as who may attend the interview including an interpreter if needed. Remember that the interview is voluntary.
5) Their absolute discretion in selecting what questions to answer during such a voluntary interview. For example, one may choose to answer questions about their neighborhood or activity they may deem suspicious and yet refuse to answer any questions regarding their immigration status, political views, or religious beliefs and practices.
Additional useful know your rights information may be obtained by reviewing the Legal Department section of the ADC website. ADC urges anyone who is contacted by federal authorities or law enforcement concerning this matter to report the incident to the ADC Legal Department by calling (202) 244-2990 or via email at: legal@adc.org
Upon request, ADC will do its best to provide third party observers, in cases where individuals would want such additional safeguards.
