Passing the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA)
Our nation has a long history relating to racial and religious profiling by law enforcement, which needs be legally halted once and for all through the passage of the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA). Historically, racial profiling has been viewed as an issue that primarily harms African American, Native American and Latino/Hispanic communities. Increasingly, after September 11, 2001, members of Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities have also been targeted by law enforcement in the name of “national security.” Profiling impacts community members, including American citizens at the Northern border, airports and other ports of entry and as a matter of police policy. Targeting people for investigation based on arbitrary factors such as their race, religion, ethnicity or national origin is not only an ineffective investigation tactic, it is profoundly unjust.
In order to end profiling and protect the civil liberties and human rights of everyone, the Campaign to Take On Hate recommends the passing of the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA).
End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA):
- Prohibits any law enforcement agent or agency from engaging in racial profiling. Grants the United States or an individual injured by racial profiling the right to obtain declaratory or injunctive relief.
- Requires federal law enforcement agencies to maintain adequate policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling and to cease existing practices that permit racial profiling.
- Requires state or local governmental entities or state, local, or tribal law enforcement agencies that apply for grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and the Cops on the Beat Program to certify that they maintain adequate policies and procedures for eliminating racial profiling and have eliminated any existing practices that permit or encourage racial profiling.
- Authorizes the Attorney General to award grants and contracts for the collection of data relating to racial profiling and for the development of best practices and systems to eliminate racial profiling. Requires the Attorney General to issue regulations for the collection and compilation of data on racial profiling and for the implementation of this Act.
Resources:
http://www.rightsworkinggroup.org/content/ERPA
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/end-racial-profiling-act/
http://www.civilrights.org/publications/reports/racial-profiling2011/the-end-of-racial.html