December 12, 2011 (Washington, DC) – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) applauds Representative John Conyers (D – Michigan) for reintroducing The End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA) in the House of Representatives last week and urges all Sikh Americans to write to their Representative to ask them to support the bill. This landmark legislation aims to eliminate racial and religious profiling that has singled out various minority communities, including Sikh Americans, in the United States. A version of this bill is also making its way through the Senate. Send a message to your Senators and Representatives asking them for their support in putting an end to racial profiling. The End Racial Profiling Act of 2011 (H.R. 3618) will:
- Prohibit racial profiling by any law enforcement agent or law enforcement agency
- Require training on racial profiling issues as part of law enforcement training
- Mandate the collection of data with detail sufficient to permit an analysis of whether a law enforcement agency is engaging in racial profiling
- Create procedures for receiving, investigating, and responding meaningfully to complaints alleging racial profiling by law enforcement agents
- Provide an individual injured by racial profiling to file a civil action for declaratory or injunctive relief
Take Action: Tell your Representative to Support The End Racial Profiling Act
Since September 11, 2001, Sikh Americans have become all too familiar with instances of racial profiling by the United States government. The most prevalent example is the additional security screening of Sikh American travelers at airports. TAKE ACTION NOW! Send a message to your Representative urging them to support this historic piece of legislation or thanking them if they have already expressed support. Personalize your letter to make it even more effective. Tell your Representative that putting an end to racial and religious profiling is important to you!