Council of Churches leader supports removal of prayer banner - Warwick Beacon
Thank you, Reverend Anderson !
There was a time when I worked closely with members of the Rhode Island Council of Churches in the interest of protecting our immigrant / refugee communities from harm. Also, the Roman Catholic Diocese & the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) were active in pure humanitarian work.
No one evangelized me. We were united by practical tasks.
Ironically, I learned this good news, thanks to someone in (from?) New Zealand (!! ) sharing the link on a facebook page...
Showing posts with label ACLU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ACLU. Show all posts
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Jessica Ahlquist Has Won Her Lawsuit!
Jessica Ahlquist Has Won Her Lawsuit!
This makes me happy !
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The Rhode Island news reaching national attention does not always give me joy, but this certainly does.
It's a small state, I have faith (oops, yes, I do!) that I will meet this young woman some day, and let her know I'm grateful for her courage and clarity.
Here's a link with a few details....
This makes me happy !
http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The Rhode Island news reaching national attention does not always give me joy, but this certainly does.
It's a small state, I have faith (oops, yes, I do!) that I will meet this young woman some day, and let her know I'm grateful for her courage and clarity.
Here's a link with a few details....
Monday, February 9, 2009
Good News from the ACLU (Rhode Island chapter)
Hi Everyone,
We have a 2nd showing of The Visitor scheduled. It will take place Wednesday, February 11 at the Cable Car Cinema again, and it is free and open to the public. The only change from the last one is that it will begin at 6:45pm. Based on the turnout last time, I would suggest getting there early if you missed it the first time. If anyone needs any more information or has questions, let me know.
See you there!
Amy
Amy Vitale
Program Coordinator
ACLU of Rhode Island
128 Dorrance Street, Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903
(t)401-831-7171
(f)401-831-7175
We have a 2nd showing of The Visitor scheduled. It will take place Wednesday, February 11 at the Cable Car Cinema again, and it is free and open to the public. The only change from the last one is that it will begin at 6:45pm. Based on the turnout last time, I would suggest getting there early if you missed it the first time. If anyone needs any more information or has questions, let me know.
See you there!
Amy
Amy Vitale
Program Coordinator
ACLU of Rhode Island
128 Dorrance Street, Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903
(t)401-831-7171
(f)401-831-7175
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
RI ACLU Hosts Debate Tonight!
The Rhode Island ACLU will be hosting debates in three venues across the state – in Providence, Bristol and South Kingstown – on the timely subject of “National Security and Civil Liberties: Guantanamo, Military Commissions and the Obama Administration.” The debates will feature U.S. Attorney for the State of Rhode Island Robert Corrente and civil liberties attorney Jerry Elmer.
The debates are free and open to the public. The dates and locations for the debates are:
Tuesday, February 3 at 7 PM at the Old Statehouse in Providence, 150 Benefit Street;
Wednesday, February 18 at 7 PM at the Bristol Statehouse in Bristol, 240 High Street; and
Tuesday, March 3 at 7 PM the URI Memorial Union in South Kingstown.
These timely debates are being held as President Barack Obama issues a series of Presidential orders designed to close Guantanamo and change other policies affecting the country’s approach to the “war on terror.” Among other things, the debates will discuss what the role of the courts, the military and the new President should be in dealing with “enemy combatants” and the threat of terrorism generally.
The debates are part of a variety of activities being sponsored in 2009 by the RI ACLU to commemorate the organization’s 50th anniversary of protecting civil liberties in the state.
Megan Khatchadourian
Assistant to the Director
Rhode Island ACLU
128 Dorrance Street, Ste. 220
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-831-7171
Fax: 401-831-7175
Please note: Jerry Elmer and I had the same social studies teacher although we are separated by many years. I am sad to note that I cannot recall this wonderful teacher's name. When I decided to move to Providence, my teacher said, oh be sure to look up Jerry Elmer. And I certainly did.
If the amount of snow is not prohibitive, I will be at rehearsal tonight and that's my reason for absence...hopefully Jerry will email me the name of this teacher, who incidentally looks like Pete Seeger. The last time I saw this teacher was at a protest of a planned nuclear power plant on Long Island...
The debates are free and open to the public. The dates and locations for the debates are:
Tuesday, February 3 at 7 PM at the Old Statehouse in Providence, 150 Benefit Street;
Wednesday, February 18 at 7 PM at the Bristol Statehouse in Bristol, 240 High Street; and
Tuesday, March 3 at 7 PM the URI Memorial Union in South Kingstown.
These timely debates are being held as President Barack Obama issues a series of Presidential orders designed to close Guantanamo and change other policies affecting the country’s approach to the “war on terror.” Among other things, the debates will discuss what the role of the courts, the military and the new President should be in dealing with “enemy combatants” and the threat of terrorism generally.
The debates are part of a variety of activities being sponsored in 2009 by the RI ACLU to commemorate the organization’s 50th anniversary of protecting civil liberties in the state.
Megan Khatchadourian
Assistant to the Director
Rhode Island ACLU
128 Dorrance Street, Ste. 220
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-831-7171
Fax: 401-831-7175
Please note: Jerry Elmer and I had the same social studies teacher although we are separated by many years. I am sad to note that I cannot recall this wonderful teacher's name. When I decided to move to Providence, my teacher said, oh be sure to look up Jerry Elmer. And I certainly did.
If the amount of snow is not prohibitive, I will be at rehearsal tonight and that's my reason for absence...hopefully Jerry will email me the name of this teacher, who incidentally looks like Pete Seeger. The last time I saw this teacher was at a protest of a planned nuclear power plant on Long Island...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
RI ACLU Presents "The Visitor" -- 1/14/09
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
of Rhode Island is pleased to present a screening of:
The Visitor
Starring Trinity Repertory Theater alum, Richard Jenkins,The Visitor, tells the story of an American college professor and a young immigrant couple grappling with the treatment of immigrants and the legal process post-9/11.
When: January 14, 2009 7:00 PM
Where: The Cable Car Cinema @ 204 South Main Street, Providence
Free and open to the public
The film will be followed by a short question and answer period
with local civil liberties experts.
Presented in partnership with the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
International Institute of Rhode Island, Participant Media and Active Voice
For directions, contact the Cable Car Cinema: (401)272-3970
1 9 5 9 - 2 0 0 9
Protecting Civil Liberties in
Rhode Island for 50 years
401-831-7171 www.riaclu.org
of Rhode Island is pleased to present a screening of:
The Visitor
Starring Trinity Repertory Theater alum, Richard Jenkins,The Visitor, tells the story of an American college professor and a young immigrant couple grappling with the treatment of immigrants and the legal process post-9/11.
When: January 14, 2009 7:00 PM
Where: The Cable Car Cinema @ 204 South Main Street, Providence
Free and open to the public
The film will be followed by a short question and answer period
with local civil liberties experts.
Presented in partnership with the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence,
International Institute of Rhode Island, Participant Media and Active Voice
For directions, contact the Cable Car Cinema: (401)272-3970
1 9 5 9 - 2 0 0 9
Protecting Civil Liberties in
Rhode Island for 50 years
401-831-7171 www.riaclu.org
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Jason (Hiu Lui) Ng's Records Are In Limbo ("Continued")
PROVIDENCE RI — Superior Court Judge P. Hurst yesterday told lawyers she needs more information before deciding whether the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility must release records pertaining to Hiu Lui “Jason” Ng, a detainee who died while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. She continued a hearing to Jan. 29.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Details Emerge on Hiu Lui Ng's Detention at Wyatt Center (RI)
128 Dorrance Street
Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903
(p) 401 831-7171
(f) 401 831-7175
riaclu@riaclu.org
NEWS RELEASE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2008
ACLU CHARGES WYATT DETENTION FACILITY WITH
MISLEADING PUBLIC ON DEATH OF IMMIGRANT DETAINEE
Relying on a just-released court transcript, the Rhode Island ACLU charged today that officials at the Wyatt Detention Center were deliberately misleading in their public pronouncements on the death of Hiu Lui Ng, a Chinese national, at their facility in August. The transcript, the ACLU said, also lends credence to the view that Ng, near death and experiencing great pain, was dragged from his cell at Wyatt by immigration officials and forced to travel to Hartford, Connecticut in reprisal for a petition filed on July 29th by family lawyers seeking his release from prison because of his severe medical condition. Mr. Ng died a week later, on August 6th, as the result of complications from advanced cancer; he was also found to have a broken spine. The RI ACLU is preparing a civil suit on behalf of the family.
At a hearing held before U.S. District Judge William Smith on July 31, 2008, less than a week before Ng’s death, the transcript reveals that the attorney for the federal government claimed that Ng was getting “more than adequate medical care” and that “any suggestion that he hasn’t received adequate medical care is really stretching it.” At the same time, the government attorney also stated, just days before Ng died of advanced cancer, that Wyatt’s medical records revealed only that Ng had “lower back strain and sciatica.” This stands in direct contradiction to a statement that Wyatt officials issued shortly after Ng’s death, in which they claimed that Ng’s “diagnoses came as the direct result of medical care and special diagnostic evaluation recommended by the facility’s medical staff.”
The transcript further reveals that federal officials had no logical answer as to why, just one day after attorneys filed the lawsuit seeking his release from Wyatt, he was dragged from his cell and transported to Hartford, Connecticut for a day. The following colloquy on that issue took place at the in-chambers court hearing:
THE COURT: I don’t get it. Nobody knows why he was in Hartford, why he was taken to Hartford?
[GOV’T ATTORNEY]: …My understanding is that he was taken to Hartford so they could afford him a better opportunity to speak by telephone with his counsel in private . . .
THE COURT: Why would they take him from Wyatt to Hartford to talk to attorneys and talk to family members? That doesn’t make any sense. All the facilities are available at Wyatt.
[GOV’T ATTORNEY]: I’m not sure, your Honor. I don’t know exactly why that transpired that way.
RI ACLU volunteer attorney Jack McConnell, from the law firm of Motley Rice, LLC, has also been having difficulty getting records of Mr. Ng’s stay at the facility from Wyatt officials. A court hearing to compel disclosure is scheduled in R.I. Superior Court for December 10th. McConnell said today:
“We are seeking justice for the unfortunate death of Mr. Ng, yet we are being stymied by Wyatt at getting to the truth.”
http://www.riaclu.org/01122008.htm
Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903
(p) 401 831-7171
(f) 401 831-7175
riaclu@riaclu.org
NEWS RELEASE
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2008
ACLU CHARGES WYATT DETENTION FACILITY WITH
MISLEADING PUBLIC ON DEATH OF IMMIGRANT DETAINEE
Relying on a just-released court transcript, the Rhode Island ACLU charged today that officials at the Wyatt Detention Center were deliberately misleading in their public pronouncements on the death of Hiu Lui Ng, a Chinese national, at their facility in August. The transcript, the ACLU said, also lends credence to the view that Ng, near death and experiencing great pain, was dragged from his cell at Wyatt by immigration officials and forced to travel to Hartford, Connecticut in reprisal for a petition filed on July 29th by family lawyers seeking his release from prison because of his severe medical condition. Mr. Ng died a week later, on August 6th, as the result of complications from advanced cancer; he was also found to have a broken spine. The RI ACLU is preparing a civil suit on behalf of the family.
At a hearing held before U.S. District Judge William Smith on July 31, 2008, less than a week before Ng’s death, the transcript reveals that the attorney for the federal government claimed that Ng was getting “more than adequate medical care” and that “any suggestion that he hasn’t received adequate medical care is really stretching it.” At the same time, the government attorney also stated, just days before Ng died of advanced cancer, that Wyatt’s medical records revealed only that Ng had “lower back strain and sciatica.” This stands in direct contradiction to a statement that Wyatt officials issued shortly after Ng’s death, in which they claimed that Ng’s “diagnoses came as the direct result of medical care and special diagnostic evaluation recommended by the facility’s medical staff.”
The transcript further reveals that federal officials had no logical answer as to why, just one day after attorneys filed the lawsuit seeking his release from Wyatt, he was dragged from his cell and transported to Hartford, Connecticut for a day. The following colloquy on that issue took place at the in-chambers court hearing:
THE COURT: I don’t get it. Nobody knows why he was in Hartford, why he was taken to Hartford?
[GOV’T ATTORNEY]: …My understanding is that he was taken to Hartford so they could afford him a better opportunity to speak by telephone with his counsel in private . . .
THE COURT: Why would they take him from Wyatt to Hartford to talk to attorneys and talk to family members? That doesn’t make any sense. All the facilities are available at Wyatt.
[GOV’T ATTORNEY]: I’m not sure, your Honor. I don’t know exactly why that transpired that way.
RI ACLU volunteer attorney Jack McConnell, from the law firm of Motley Rice, LLC, has also been having difficulty getting records of Mr. Ng’s stay at the facility from Wyatt officials. A court hearing to compel disclosure is scheduled in R.I. Superior Court for December 10th. McConnell said today:
“We are seeking justice for the unfortunate death of Mr. Ng, yet we are being stymied by Wyatt at getting to the truth.”
http://www.riaclu.org/01122008.htm
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Thank You, RI ACLU
ACLU of Rhode Island
128 Dorrance Street / Suite 220 / Providence, RI 02903
email: riaclu@riaclu.org / web: www.riaclu.org
NEWS RELEASE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2008
ACLU FILES CONTEMPT MOTION AGAINST GOVERNOR
OVER IMMIGRATION EXECUTIVE ORDER
I
The Rhode Island ACLU has filed a motion in R.I. Superior Court, asking that the state be held in contempt or subject to a restraining order for ignoring the dictates of a September 15th court ruling addressing the legality of Governor Donald Carcieri’s controversial “immigration executive order” requiring all vendors and contractors with the state to participate in the federal employment authorization system known as E-Verify.
The court had found that the state likely violated the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) by implementing the E-Verify mandate without providing the public any advance opportunity to comment on any regulations governing its implementation. The court directed the state to promulgate rules in accordance with the APA. However, the ACLU was recently advised that, although the state had commenced the rule-making process, it had also adopted “emergency” regulations for the program, to take effect immediately, thus circumventing the advance notice and comment mandate.
The APA allows for the adoption of emergency regulations, but only if necessary to address an “imminent peril to the public health, safety or welfare.” In attempting to justify filing the rules on an emergency basis, the state cited the July courthouse raids, which resulted in the detention of 32 janitors alleged to be illegally in the country, and the state’s high unemployment rate. The ACLU’s brief, filed by volunteer attorney Randy Olen, calls those justifications “specious,” and further notes that it has been seven months since the executive order was first issued and three months since the raids took place. The brief claims that the state is seeking to “reward itself for violating the APA” by suddenly claiming an emergency.
The brief asks the court to find the state in contempt or to issue a temporary restraining order to halt implementation of the emergency regulations. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Wednesday. A copy of the ACLU’s brief is available at www.riaclu.org.
ACLU attorney Olen said today: “The APA allows for the immediate adoption of a temporary regulation only in exceptional cases involving a true emergency. The state’s attempt to justify the use of this extraordinary provision on the basis of the discovery of a handful of individuals cleaning offices without formal work authorization is nothing short of outrageous and a brazen misuse of authority. This transparent attempt to again circumvent the requirements of the APA is itself unlawful, and the Defendants should not be allowed to benefit from it.”
128 Dorrance Street / Suite 220 / Providence, RI 02903
email: riaclu@riaclu.org / web: www.riaclu.org
NEWS RELEASE
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2008
ACLU FILES CONTEMPT MOTION AGAINST GOVERNOR
OVER IMMIGRATION EXECUTIVE ORDER
I
The Rhode Island ACLU has filed a motion in R.I. Superior Court, asking that the state be held in contempt or subject to a restraining order for ignoring the dictates of a September 15th court ruling addressing the legality of Governor Donald Carcieri’s controversial “immigration executive order” requiring all vendors and contractors with the state to participate in the federal employment authorization system known as E-Verify.
The court had found that the state likely violated the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) by implementing the E-Verify mandate without providing the public any advance opportunity to comment on any regulations governing its implementation. The court directed the state to promulgate rules in accordance with the APA. However, the ACLU was recently advised that, although the state had commenced the rule-making process, it had also adopted “emergency” regulations for the program, to take effect immediately, thus circumventing the advance notice and comment mandate.
The APA allows for the adoption of emergency regulations, but only if necessary to address an “imminent peril to the public health, safety or welfare.” In attempting to justify filing the rules on an emergency basis, the state cited the July courthouse raids, which resulted in the detention of 32 janitors alleged to be illegally in the country, and the state’s high unemployment rate. The ACLU’s brief, filed by volunteer attorney Randy Olen, calls those justifications “specious,” and further notes that it has been seven months since the executive order was first issued and three months since the raids took place. The brief claims that the state is seeking to “reward itself for violating the APA” by suddenly claiming an emergency.
The brief asks the court to find the state in contempt or to issue a temporary restraining order to halt implementation of the emergency regulations. A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Wednesday. A copy of the ACLU’s brief is available at www.riaclu.org.
ACLU attorney Olen said today: “The APA allows for the immediate adoption of a temporary regulation only in exceptional cases involving a true emergency. The state’s attempt to justify the use of this extraordinary provision on the basis of the discovery of a handful of individuals cleaning offices without formal work authorization is nothing short of outrageous and a brazen misuse of authority. This transparent attempt to again circumvent the requirements of the APA is itself unlawful, and the Defendants should not be allowed to benefit from it.”
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
ACLU Takes Case Of Immigrant Who Died In Custody
The RI affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union is providing legal representation to the family of Hui Liu Ng, the 34-year-old Chinese detainee who died last month at Donald W. Wyatt detention facility while in the custody of immigration authorities. Ng died of complications from cancer and a fractured spine, according to his NY attorneys.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
Thursday, September 4, 2008
ACLU Sues Rhode Island Over Carcieri’s Executive Order |
"The ACLU filed its law suit on behalf of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence and two Rhode Island College professors -- Anne Marie Mumm and Daniel Weisman -- who have contracts with the state and who object to participation in the [E-Verify]program.
read more | digg story
read more | digg story
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