WASHINGTON— Co-Chairs of the Progressive Caucus (CPC) Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Reps. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-Ohio), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas) and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Judy Chu (D-Calif.) applauded the passage by voice vote through the House of Representatives an amendment to prevent the Department of Justice, the FBI and local law enforcement from using money in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations bill to engage in profiling based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender and sexual orientation.
“My home state has witnessed firsthand what profiling can do to a community,” said Rep. Grijalva, “Judging a person based on their skin tone or appearance isn’t only damaging to that person, the impacts of distrust and disdain ripple through that community. Federal dollars should never be spent on programs that endorse these actions.”
“Diversity is at the core of our nation’s strength,” Rep. Ellison said. “Discrimination and profiling of minority communities by law enforcement undermines that strength. We stand together today to say no more. The amendment passed by the House of Representatives will protect Americans from counterproductive and unconstitutional racial profiling.”
"I applaud the passage of the Quad Caucus amendment that addresses racial profiling,” said Rep. Marcia L. Fudge. “This nation stands on the principles of liberty and justice for all. Thus, we must ensure policies are in place to prevent discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender and sexual orientation. This amendment is an example of what is necessary to move this nation forward.”
"No one in our country should ever be singled out and targeted unfairly,” Rep. Hinojosa said. “Profiling someone based on their race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender or sexual orientation is simply wrong and does nothing to prevent crime. This amendment to the 2015 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is a solid mechanism that will help local law enforcement, the FBI, and the Department of Justice uphold our American ideal of equal protection for all."
“When law enforcement uses profiling against a group, it replaces trust with fear and makes communities less safe,” Rep. Chu said. “We must ensure that communities and law enforcement are partners in preventing crimes, and that means ending profiling based on race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, gender, and sexual orientation once and for all.”
The CPC, CBC, CHC and CAPAC leaders recently sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder on the Department of Justice’s guidelines on racial profiling.
