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Immigration Detention Center Reverses Turban Ban
After Coalition
Intervenes
Elizabeth, New Jersey: An immigration
detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey reversed a ban against
turbans last week. Three detained Sikh men were barred from wearing
turbans for months. The facility changed its policy three weeks
after the Sikh Coalition intervened.
Three Sikhs are currently detained for immigration violations at the
Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC) by Immigrations Customs Enforcement
(ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security. EDC is run by a
private government contractor, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).
The men were put in detention at various times within the past 15
months. CCA disallowed them from wearing their turbans during this
time.
On October 7, 2007, a family friend of one of the Sikh detainees
contacted the Sikh Coalition requesting assistance. The Coalition
then contacted the family of the detained man, and subsequently was
able to communicate with all three Sikh detainees. All three asked
the Coalition for help to persuade the detention cention to allow
them to wear their turbans.
The Sikh Coalition spoke to the Chief of Security at EDC on October
12, 2007. The Coalition explained that their refusal to allow Sikh
detainees to wear turbans violated: 1) ICE's Detention Standards
regarding Religious Practices, and 2) the Religious Land Use and
Institutionalized Persons Act.
The Coalition also raised the issue in a memorandum to ICE officials
on October 17, 2007 in preparation for an interagency meeting in
Washington, DC hosted by the Department of Justice. The next day,
the Legal Aid Society of New York and the Coalition also sent a
joint letter to the detention center's Warden, explaining that CCA
was violating the law.
On October 22, 2007, the Warden contacted the Legal Aid Society and
indicated that the center would allow the men to wear their
religious headwear subject to safety and security considerations.
The Coalition and Legal Aid Society attorneys discussed the Wardens'
concerns with the detainees.
Last week a family member of one of the detainees brought small
turbans to the detention center for the detained Sikhs. Detention
center officials inspected them and then gave them to the Sikh
detainees on October 31, 2007.
The Coalition and the Legal Aid Society will continue to work with
the detention center to ensure that the Sikh detainees can fully
exercise their religious rights at the facility.
The Sikh Coalition would like to thank the Legal Aid Society of New
York for its excellent support in this matter. The Coalition is also
thankful to the Corrections Corporation of America for its prompt
attention to our concerns.
The Coalition calls on all Sikhs to stand up for their civil rights
and fearlessly maintain their articles of faith.
7 November, 2007
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