Pelosi: ‘Racial Profiling is Fundamentally Un-American’

February 26, 2004

Washington, D.C. -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on the introduction of the End Racial Profiling Act of 2004:

"I am proud to join Congressman John Conyers, the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, as a cosponsor of the bipartisan End Racial Profiling Act of 2004 to end the shameful practice of racial profiling and to ensure that each of our citizens is treated with dignity and fairness.

"Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that African Americans and Hispanics are stopped in traffic and searched far in excess of their share of the population. Since September 11th, many Arabs, Muslims, and Asians have been subjected to searches and seizures at airports and other locations based upon religion and national origin, without any credible information linking specific individuals to criminal conduct.

"Such practices are ineffective, create suspicion, and erode the trust in law enforcement. Racial profiling is fundamentally un-American.

"While the Bush Administration has issued guidelines on racial profiling, these do not go far enough and are not binding on all levels of law enforcement. We must make racial profiling illegal.

"The End Racial Profiling Act of 2004 prohibits racial profiling at all levels of law enforcement -- federal, state, and local. It conditions law enforcement grants on adoption of policies that prohibit racial profiling, authorizes grants for best policing practices, and requires the Attorney General to provide periodic reports on profiling practices.

"This crucial legislation is long overdue. Congress should enact it now."

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