SALDEF Advocate: SALDEF Encourages Senate Confirmation of Attorney General Nominee

1. SALDEF Encourages Senate Confirmation of Attorney General Nominee
2. SALDEF Recognized for Work on Behalf of the Sikh American Community
3. SALDEF Accepting Applications for 2009 Internship Program
4. SALDEF Advises Obama/Biden Presidential Transition Team on Civil Rights Concerns
5. SALDEF Meets with Senate Democratic Leadership
6. SALDEF Pressures Justice Department and FBI on New Intrusive Investigative Guidelines
7. SALDEF Participates in Department of Homeland Security Roundtable
8. SALDEF Conducts Cultural Awareness Training for Counterterrorism Agents
9. Bezos Scholars Program at the Aspen Institute Seeks Entries for High School Juniors

SALDEF Encourages Senate Confirmation of Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder

Over the past eight years, SALDEF has been at the forefront of fighting against many of the civil rights and civil liberty abuses that occurred as a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. These include the illegal detention of American citizens after the attacks without cause or right to counsel, the torturing of detainees, infringement upon the privacy of Americans, and the politicization of the United States Department of Justice, including the Civil Rights Division.

US Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder has been a steadfast advocate of the United States Constitution and an individual of indelible character. When he was a United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, he started the first Bias Crimes Task Force which established a federal, state, local, and community-based partnership to combat hate crimes and bias in the community. Similar partnerships have been developed in dozens of cities across the United States using this exact model.

SALDEF encourages the United States Senate to confirm US Attorney General Nominee Eric Holder so that he may begin providing independent leadership on many of the difficult policy and management decisions that have plagued the Justice Department for the past eight years.

Please contact your Senator at (202) 224-3121 and encourage them to “Support, without delay, Eric Holder”s confirmation for United States Attorney General.”

SALDEF Recognized for Work on Behalf of Sikh American Community

On December 25, 2008 at the annual Darbar-E-Khalsa in Southern California, celebrating the Gurpurab of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, SALDEF was recognized by the International Institute of Gurmat Studies (IIGS) with their Sikh Rights Advocacy Award. The award was presented to SALDEF at a gathering of thousands of Sikhs from across California and the Western United States, “in appreciation and recognition of distinguished service to the Sikh Community of the USA, by protecting the civil rights of Sikh Americans and fighting against cases of hate crimes and discrimination against them.” SALDEF would like to thank IIGS for this tremendous honor and congratulate them on the success of this annual event.

SALDEF Accepting Applications for 2009 Summer Internship Program

Intern with SALDEF
The SALDEF Internship Program offers Sikh American youth an opportunity to be uniquely positioned to advocate for national policy issues on behalf of Sikhs. The program educates students on issues of civil rights, public policy and the legislative process. Students will gain hands-on experience in community organizing, research, writing, legal issues affecting the community, political action, and educational outreach. Current opportunities available include: Legal Research, Legislative, Communications and Development Interns.

Click here for more information.

SALDEF Advises Obama/Biden Presidential Transition Team on Civil Rights Concerns

December 18, 2008: SALDEF Legal Director Rajdeep Singh Jolly met with transition group members to discuss post 9/11 policy and legislative concerns. The meeting was coordinated by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and was attended by representatives of other local and national organizations.

December 17, 2008: SALDEF was the sole Sikh American community representative at the National Asian American and Pacific Islander Leaders meeting to discuss with Transition Advisory Board Members and Senior Staff, the concerns of the Sikh American community. Additionally, SALDEF discussed and delivered its Presidential Transition Memorandum to the Transition Team. A brief summary video on the meeting, which was produced by the Obama/Biden Administration, can be found here.

December 15, 2008 : SALDEF met with Transition Team members to discuss the 2010 Census. SALDEF advocated for a more robust and inclusive outreach efforts to the Sikh and South Asian American communities. The Census is a critical government program that ensures segments of the population are counted correctly. The data provided by the Census can be used to enhance the long term advocacy and political representation of Sikhs in the United States.

December 15, 2008 : SALDEF, the only Sikh American organization advocating for national legislation to combat hate crimes, met with Transition Team members to ensure that national hate crime legislation and combating bias attacks is a top priority for the new Administration. SALDEF was able to confirm that preventing hate crimes and hate crime legislation would be top priorities for the incoming Obama Administration.

December 8, 2008: SALDEF met with the Civil Rights Task Force of the Transition Team on efforts to combat racial profiling of Sikh Americans in a variety of contexts. SALDEF advocated for the Transportation Security Agency to institute ethnic and racial data collection efforts, passage of the End Racial Profiling Act, and amendments to the Justice Department Racial profiling Guidelines and the Mukasey FBI Investigative Guidelines.

SALDEF Meets with Senate Democratic Leadership

On December 16, 2008, SALDEF met with the U.S. Senate Democratic Leadership and Committee members to inform them of the national priorities of the Sikh American community. This meeting is part of SALDEF’s ongoing effort to ensure that the Sikh American community has a strong voice in the halls of Congress and to hold our elected officials accountable to the community. SALDEF discussed U.S. Military policy that denies Sikh Americans the right to serve in the Armed Services, hate crime and religious freedom legislation, and the need for Senate Leadership to commit to meeting with various members of the religious community in the United States on a recurring basis.

SALDEF Pressures Justice Department and FBI on New Intrusive Investigative Guidelines

True to our mission as the only national Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, SALDEF provides a Sikh American voice to many of the critical civil rights challenges our nation faces, including holding the Justice Department accountable when it oversteps its bounds by changing decades of proper investigative techniques.

SALDEF has been engaged in high-level and confidential discussions about the Attorney General Mukasey Guidelines which allowed for increased intrusive investigative techniques for non-criminal behavior. SALDEF worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to review and provide comments to the Domestic Investigative Operations Guidelines (DIOG) and to ensure that civil liberties are protected and the U.S. Constitution is defended.

SALDEF Participates in Homeland Security RoundTable

SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh participated on a panel at the Department of Homeland Security”s Youth Roundtable on November 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA. Joining Mr. Singh on the panel was Ms. Fatima Rahmatullah of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. The panel was meant to highlight the role of the Media and Hollywood and the challenges and opportunities it poses for members of the Sikh, Arab, Muslim and South Asian American communities. The panel also discussed examples of positive and negative images in mainstream media, and how youth leaders can work to achieving the ends they would like to see.

SALDEF Conducts Cultural Awareness Training for Counterterrorism Agents

SALDEF-DOJ Partnership

Bezos Scholas Program at the Aspen Institute Seeks Entries for High School Juniors

The Bezos Scholars Program at the Aspen Institute, a collaboration between the Bezos Family Foundation and the Aspen Institute, is designed to bring together twelve of the United States” top high school juniors to engage in seminars and informal meetings with the international leaders, thinkers, and creative artists who participate in the annual Aspen Ideas Festival (June 30 – July 6, 2009).

The program provides the participating juniors with seven-day, all-expense-paid scholarships to attend the festival. An educator from each student”s school also will be awarded a full scholarship, thereby offering a unique leadership development opportunity for students and educators. At the Aspen Ideas Festival, the scholars have opportunities to speak one-on-one with world leaders, global thinkers, and acclaimed entertainers. Past scholars have met with inventor Dean Kamen, Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O”Connor, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and President Bill Clinton, among others. Following their time in Aspen, the Student Scholar/Educator Scholar teams will return home and apply for $1,000 School Award Grants to use in creating local Ideas Festivals in their schools.

Reauthorization includes increased hate crime data collection provisions Washington, DC – August 1, 2008: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights organization in the United States, applauds the United States Congress in passing the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2008 (H.R 4137). The bill amended and reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965, which was intended to increase access to U.S. Colleges and Universities. The original act was part of President Lyndon B. Johnson education platform and, among other actions, increased federal money given to universities, created scholarships, and gave low-interest loans to students. HR 4137, which was overwhelmingly passed by both the House in February and the Senate yesterday, included provisions that SALDEF and a coalition of national organizations have been advocating for over the past several years. In the recently passed bill, the U.S. Congress has included provisions requiring the U.S. Department of Education to collect data on campus hate crime incidents in categories similar to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Click here to see if your Senator voted in favor of this legislation Click here to see if your Congressperson voted in favor of this legislation Unfortunately campuses and universities continue to be a hot-bed of hate- and bias- crime activity, especially in recent years. In strike contrast to the voluntary statistics provided to the FBI Hate Crimes report, HR 4137 can allow for the loss of federal funding to Colleges and Universities who do not comply with the new hate crime reporting requirements. “The Sikh American community has a clear and pressing interest in protecting college students from hate-motivated attacks and bias-incidents,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “With better data collection of bias crimes on our nations’ college and university campuses, we will be able to better protect future generations of students on campuses across the country.” SALDEF applauds Congress for passing this vital piece of legislation and urges the Sikh American community to thank their Congressmen and Senators for voting in favor of this legislation.

SALDEF urges you to tell Congressional Leaders to support the Hate Crimes Prevention provisions in the Department of Defense conference report. This legislation brings much needed uniformity to federal hate crime laws and reflects the growing support for stronger hate crime legislation on the state level. Every year, Sikh Americans across the nation find themselves the victim of a hate crime. It is important that the victims of hate crimes see justice. Unfortunately, current law does not always offer them that hope. Click here to learn more and urge Congress to take action.

The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) continues to work for the community to ensure the Sikh American voice is heard at all levels of government, from Congress to State Legislatures. Hate Crime Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress. This vital piece of legislation would assist state and local anti-bias efforts by enabling the Justice Department to assist officials in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes. Religious Freedom Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress to ensure that Sikhs are not forced to check their religion at the door of their workplace. The Workplace Religious Freedom Act (WRFA) would prevent employers from denying employment or advancement to a Sikh simply because of his or her daastar, kesh, kirpan, or kara. Anti-Bullying Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress to ensure our children attend school free from harassment and bullying. Our children have the right to be academically successful and free from bullying; however, many schools across the country have inadequate policies governing school harassment. Racial Profiling Legislation SALDEF is the only Sikh American organization working with Congress on the End Racial Profiling Act (ERPA). This legislation will prohibit law enforcement from engaging in racial profiling and targeting Americans solely based on their physical appearance. If you believe in protecting your fellow Sikhs from hate crimes, workplace discrimination, and bullying show your support today! Government Relations SALDEF continues to collaborate with government officials, representing the interests of the Sikh American community. SALDEF is continually the sole Sikh representative at meetings with the United States Attorney General and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Through your generous support, SALDEF will be able to continue to ensure that Congress passes laws which protect the rights of Sikh Americans across the nation. Make your tax-deductible contribution before the year ends to support this work done in the spirit of seva.

SALDEF Expresses Disappointment with Congressional Defeat of Landmark Hate Crimes Legislation Washington, D.C. – December 7, 2007: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights organization, today expressed its extreme disappointed with the recent defeat of vital hate crime legislation in Congress. “Every year, Sikh Americans across the nation find themselves the victims of hate crimes without any support from their local police departments,” remarked SALDEF National Director Rajbir Singh Datta. “The United States Congress must exemplify the courage necessary to ensure that we are welcoming of our nation’s diversity rather than in strict opposition to it.” The bill would have strengthened the ability of federal, state, and local governments to investigate and prosecute hate crimes. The bill helps state and local anti-bias efforts by enabling the Justice Department to assist them in the investigation and prosecution of all hate crimes. This bill is vital in areas of the United States where the local officials choose not, or do not, have the resources to investigate and prosecute assailants of hate crimes. SALDEF would like to thank the supporters who signed a petition in support of sustaining hate crime protections with the current legislation. While we are all disappointed at the recent news, SALDEF will continue to work to ensure that strong anti-hate crimes legislation is passed. SALDEF is a member of a national coalition of over 200 civil rights, faith-based, law enforcement, and women’s groups who worked to advocate for hate crimes legislation in Congress. For more information about hate crimes legislation please click here.

Senate will help protect victims of hate crimes Washington, DC: September 27, 2007 –- This morning the Senate passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (LLEHCPA). The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest and largest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, worked with a national coalition of over 200 civil rights, faith-based, law enforcement, and women’s groups working to ensure passage of this bill. “Today the Senate sends a clear message that crimes motivated by hate will not be tolerated in America, and that such offenses will be prosecuted with vigor.  As a nation dedicated to the ideals of equality and mutual understanding, we have a special responsibility to combat bigotry that takes the form of violence,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about the bill, which passed with bipartisan support. LLEHCPA will allow the federal government to assist states and local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes. Doing so will make communities safer for people of different backgrounds. The law extends hate crime legislation to those states where current laws are inadequate. “We are encouraged that the Senate chose to pass this bill which will help protect victims of hate crimes. Sikh Americans saw a surge in crimes committed against them after the September 11 attacks on our country,” said SALDEF Chairman Manjit Singh. “Unfortunately, Sikh Americans are still targets of acts of hate like the recent attacks on two elderly Sikh American men in Maryland. We are disappointed President Bush has threatened to veto this important legislation which reaffirms the equality of all Americans.” The Senate Bill, S. 1105, sponsored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Smith (R-OR), passed with the support of every Senate Democrat and Republican Senators Collins (ME), Coleman (MN), Gregg (NH), Lugar (IN), Smith (OR), Snowe (WA), Specter (PA), Voinovich (OH), and Warner (VA). The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed similar legislation, H.R. 1592, earlier this year. SALDEF commends the Sikh American community for encouraging their Senators to vote for this important legislation and Sikh American youth for encouraging their granthis to join other religious leaders in supporting the legislation. Read more about the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act: SALDEF Welcomes Congressional Legislation on Hate Crimes

Leading Sikh organizations continue to engage TSA Washington D.C. – September 17, 2007 : In response to the concerns of the Sikh American community and the efforts of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the Sikh Coalition, and UNITED SIKHS, Congressional leaders issued a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator Kip Hawley. Congressional Leaders who sent the letter include: – Congressman Michael Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus; – Congressman John Conyers, Chair House Judiciary Committee – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, Chair House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection – Congressman Tom Lantos, Chair House Foreign Relations Committee – Congressman Bobby Scott, Chair CAPAC Civil Rights Taskforce “We are concerned that the change was made without community consultation,…and that greater discretion for searching headwear without proper guidance for Transportation Security Officers (TSOs), has lead to racial profiling,” said the statement. “A mandatory turban pat-down is tantamount to racial and religious profiling and is therefore unacceptable in our democracy. It would be intolerable if the new policy had indeed been implement, whether intended or not, in this manner.” Read the full text of the letter here. The Congressmen asked Secretary Chertoff and Administrator Hawley to explain aspects of the policy and its implementation, including how and why any misunderstanding and miscommunication occurred. In addition, they requested that TSA and DHS “work with representatives of the Sikh American community to ensure that the policy reflects a respect for the religious significance of turbans within the Sikh faith, and that the screening policy protects our homeland without sacrificing our religious freedoms.” SALDEF commends Congressmen Honda, Conyers, Lantos, Scott, and Congresswoman Jackson-Lee, for responding to the concerns of the Sikh American community brought forth by SALDEF, the Sikh Coalition, and UNITED SIKHS. SALDEF looks forward to continuing discussions with TSA and DHS to finding a solution which respects national security and the religious rights of all Americans. For more information on the new policy and your rights as a passenger, please see below: – Sikh American Groups Meet with TSA about Turban Screening Policy – New Airport Security Screening Procedure Affects Sikh Turban – Airport Security and Your Rights as a Passenger – Video of SALDEF on FOX NEWS

SALDEF Encourages Community Action on Hate Crime Prevention Washington D.C. – June 9, 2007: The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) strongly urges all Sikh Religious Leaders to sign on to an interfaith letter in support of The Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) (Senate bill number S. 1105).  In the previous Congress, this bill enjoyed broad bi-partisan and law enforcement support from across the nation. The interfaith letter, available online here, urges United States Senators to co-sponsor and pass ground breaking hate crimes legislation which will provide local governments with necessary resources to serve their communities. Bias crimes are increasingly a cause for concern within the Sikh American community in a pre- and post-9/11 context. The FBI Hate Crime Report, although voluntary, has documented over 115,000 hate crimes since 1991. In 2005, 7,183 hate crimes were reported, of which, 17.1 percent were perpetrated against individuals of faith and 14.2 percent against ethnic minorities. Current law authorizes federal involvement only in those cases in which the victim was targeted because of race, color, religion, or national origin. Unfortunately, some local jurisdictions neither have the resources nor will to investigate and prosecute assailants alleged to have committed a hate crime. Additionally, current law does not protect victims on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. LLEHCPA will allow the federal government to assist states and local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes when the local agencies request such support. Doing so will make our nation safer for all Americans  and allow smaller municipalities to procure additional resources to effectively investigate and prosecute bias crimes. The law also extends serious hate crime legislation to those states where current laws are inadequate. “This legislation represents a significant step in ensuring those who violate someone’s civil rights will be brought to justice,” said Kavneet Singh, Managing Director of SALDEF. “Our elected officials must recognize the need for stronger and more effective laws against hate crimes. These crimes are not just against the person, but against the entire community he or she represents.” The legislation has a broad range of support of over 200 civil rights, advocacy and law enforcement organizations including; the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, among many others. To sign the letter, go here. Click on “Sign the letter” and fill out the appropriate contact information. Indicate that you heard about the letter through SALDEF. By signing this letter you join religious leaders of a multitude of faiths from across America, SALDEF, and its coalition partners in denouncing hate crimes. For more information on SALDEF’s past legislative and hate crimes initiatives, please see below: SALDEF meets with FBI Director Robert Mueller SALDEF Congratulates House for Passing Hate Crime Bill Partnerships with U.S. Muslim, Sikh Leaders Boost Law Enforcement SALDEF Welcomes Congressional Legislation on Hate Crimes

Sikh American Community Encouraged to Contact Local Legislators to Support Important Bill Washington D.C. – March 21, 2007:  The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights advocacy organization, today applauds Congress for taking the first step in passing a new piece of legislation aimed at protecting the nation’s communities from hate violence. Late yesterday, U.S. House of Representative Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI), introduced H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crime’s Prevention Act of 2007. The legislation, which has enjoyed bipartisan support from this Congress, and has 137 co-sponsors already, will provide assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies and amend federal law to facilitate with the investigation and prosecution of violent, bias-motivated crimes. “By introducing this legislation, the House has sent a clear message that hate crimes will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said SALDEF Managing Director Kavneet Singh. “Even before the flurry of post-9/11 hate crimes affecting the Sikh American and other communities, we were working with a broad coalition to pass this legislation. We applaud the House for introducing this important piece of legislation.” Bias crimes are increasingly a cause for concern specifically within the Sikh American community. The FBI Hate Crime Report, although voluntary, has documented over 115,000 hate crimes since 1991. In 2005, 7,183 hate crimes were reported, of which, 17.1 percent were perpetrated against individuals of faith and 14.2 percent against ethnic minorities. The legislation has a broad range of support of over 200 civil rights, advocacy and law enforcement organizations including: Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, among many others. For more information about our work, visit www.saldef.org or contact us at 202-393-2700 or info@saldef.org

Washington DC, August 31, 2006 – The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) today condemns comments made by Wisconsin U.S. House of Representative’s Republican Candidate Paul R. Nelson indicating that individuals who wear a turban and individuals named Mohammed are directly related with terrorism.

During an interview with Jeff Petersen of Wisconsin’s WIXK radio, Mr. Nelson suggested that Muslim males ought to be singled out, by airport security. “Racial profiling is one way that we can cut down on security risks,” said Nelson.

When asked to describe what a Muslim male looks like, Nelson responded “well, you know, if he comes in wearing a turban and his name is Mohammed, that’s a good start.”

In response to this outrageous statement, SALDEF has written a formal letter demanding an apology from Mr. Nelson and his campaign for his irresponsible and racist comments along with his public support of profiling suspects solely based on their physical appearance.

Additionally, SALDEF in conjunction with a diverse group of 30 organizations from across the country issued a joint letter yesterday to Mr. Nelson in opposition to his statements. Additionally, a similar joint opposition letter was sent to Congressman Pete King (R-NY), New York Gubernatorial candidate John Faso and Florida Congressional candidate Mark Flanagan for their flagrant support of racial profiling.

There are over 1.2 billion Muslims across the world who come from all races, ethnicities and national origins. Additionally, the vast majority of individuals wearing turbans in the United States are adherent’s of the Sikh faith. Any attempt to associate Sikh Americans and the entire Muslim community with terrorism shows a blatant use of racist policy and complete disregard for the diversity in American society.

“Supporters of racial profiling offer a dangerous view of law enforcement and only seek to criminalize a certain part of the community due to their perceived or actual religious or cultural affiliation,” said SALDEF President Mirin Kaur Phool.  “Mr. Nelson’s support of racial profiling seeks only to demean a certain segment of society rather than truly support national security efforts to keep American’s safe.”

Law enforcement and terrorism experts, including the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have denounced racial profiling as ineffective and a waste of government resources. Racial profiling as a policy would spread National Security resources thin and force officials to investigate innocent civilians while possibly allowing credible security threats, who do not conform to government stereotypes, to go unchecked.

Additionally, efforts to legitimize racial profiling as a viable policy have resulted in misguided citizens conducting their own policing operations and either acting on their bigotry or exacting revenge on innocent individuals across the country.  Sikh Americans have been subject to over 800 reported hate crimes and bias related incidents since the tragic attacks of 9/11.

Most recently on July 30 an innocent 66-year old Sikh American gentleman in San Jose, California was stabbed in the neck by a 25 year old assailant who thought, due to his turban and beard, he was a member of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.