AJC Regrets Action on Secret Evidence

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 23 June 2000

The American Jewish Committee today voiced deep regret over last night's House of Representatives vote on the Campbell-Bonior amendment.

AJC President Bruce M. Ramer issued the following statement:

"The American Jewish Committee takes seriously the due process concerns to which the largely symbolic Campbell-Bonior amendment responds. We take strong issue, however, with the premise of the amendment's chief sponsors that it is necessary or appropriate to categorically prohibit the use of classified information in an immigration proceeding involving a person alleged to be involved in terrorism. This approach, as a practical matter, leaves authorities with the choice of either letting a suspected terrorist go free, or placing sensitive sources in mortal danger and undermining our intelligence operations.

"There are ways to safeguard due process that, at the same time, assure that law enforcement authorities are properly equipped to respond to the threat of terrorism. Among other things, the law should require that, in those rare instances when authorities must rely on classified information, a potential deportee be given an unclassified summary of that information sufficient, in the view of the court, to allow a defense to be prepared.

"We firmly believe that many of the Representatives who voted "aye" yesterday did so to express their concern that the current system presents problems that need to be addressed and not because they necessarily subscribe to Representatives Bonior and Campbell's Draconian approach. We urge the Administration and Congress to adopt an approach that better balances the due process and national security concerns implicated by the Bonior-Campbell amendment. The American Jewish Committee looks forward to participating in those considerations."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org