The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today submitted detailed comments in response to the May 5, 2010 Notice, Published in the Federal Register (FR), Vol. 75, No. 86 (75 FR 24721) pertaining to the National Security Entry Exit Registration System (NSEERS).  

In its comments, ADC unequivocally reaffirmed its long standing position that NSEERS must be terminated and that NSEERS-related regulations be repealed. You can read ADC's comments by clicking here.
 
Implemented after 9/11 as a counterterrorism tool, and built on a discriminatory structure targeting non-immigrants from Arab, Muslim and South Asian countries, NSEERS has not only been ineffective for counterterrorism purposes, but also has had a negative impact on governmental outreach efforts with these communities. The actual practical utility of the program has been called into question, and is scheduled to be audited by the Office of Inspector General within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) before the end of 2010. The program also continues to burden both DHS and the registrants with unnecessary and extra costs.
 
Eight years after the implementation of the program, governmental information on NSEERS continues to be shockingly inaccurate, as evidenced in the May 5, 2010, Notice.  ADC calls on the Obama Administration to end the shame of NSEERS, shift away from policies solely based on national origin and religious profiling tactics, and provide relief for well-intentioned individuals adversely affected by the program.
 
More Information about ADC's Advocacy on NSEERS:
 
To read about general developments on NSEERS, please see the report on NSEERS issued last year by ADC and the Center for Immigrants' Rights at Penn State's Dickinson School of Law.  ADC also has developed a blog the Race Matters Blog or "EndNSEERS" blog; and the Revised Annual Performance plan of the Office of Inspector General discussing its plan for auditing NSEERS by the end of 2010 (pages 56-57).
 
Legal problems related to NSEERS?  ADC Legal Department offers Pro Bono Assistance
 
If you have legal problems as a result of NSEERS, please do not hesitate to contact the ADC Legal Department for pro bono assistance.  You can reach the ADC Legal Department by e-mailing legal@adc.org, or calling 202-244-2990.

***
 
Contact: legal@adc.org
             202-244-2990

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), which is non-profit, non-sectarian and non-partisan, is the largest Arab-American civil rights organization in the United States. It was founded in 1980 by former Senator James Abourezk to protect the civil rights of people of Arab descent in the United States and to promote the cultural heritage of the Arabs. ADC has 38 chapters nationwide, including chapters in every major city in the country, and members in all 50 states.
 
The ADC Research Institute (ADC-RI), which was founded in 1981, is a Section 501(c)(3) educational organization that sponsors a wide range of programs on behalf of Arab Americans and of importance to all Americans. ADC-RI programs include research studies, seminars, conferences and publications that document and analyze the discrimination faced by Arab Americans in the workplace, schools, media, and governmental agencies and institutions. ADC-RI also celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the Arabs.
 
ADC Research Institute (ADC-RI) | www.adc.org
1732 Wisconsin Ave., NW | Washington, DC | 20007
Tel: 202-244-2990 | Fax: 202-333-3980 | E-mail: media@adc.org