African American Newsroom

ACLU Applauds Senate Reintroduction Of Racial Profiling Bill

Noting that the corrosive practice of racial profiling has continued despite President Bush’s promise in 2001 to "end it in America," the American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the reintroduction of the "End Racial Profiling Act" (ERPA) in the Senate late Friday and urged congressional leaders to co-sponsor this important bill and place its enactment at the top of their 2006 legislative agenda.

"Despite widespread condemnation of racial profiling by leaders from across the political spectrum, including the President, previous attempts to pass a comprehensive federal ban have not moved forward," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "It’s time for our leaders to back up their professed indignation with concrete steps to end this offensive and ineffective law enforcement practice. Singling out people for police scrutiny based on their race, ethnicity, national origin or religion does nothing to make us safer, but does a great deal to deepen racial rifts in America."

An April 2005 Department of Justice survey found that blacks and Hispanics are roughly three times as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or threatened or subdued with force when stopped by police. A September 2005 report by Amnesty International indicates that one in nine Americans has been victimized by racial profiling- a total of 32 million people nationwide. Nonetheless, 27 states have enacted no law to ban or curb racial profiling.