Portland — The ACLU of Maine today issued a travel advisory informing anyone planning to travel from Maine to Texas in the near future to anticipate the possible violation of their constitutional rights when stopped by law enforcement.
The ACLU of Maine joined the national ACLU and 17 other state affiliates in issuing the alert, which comes amid the passing of a Texas law known as SB4. The law gives a green light to police officers in the state to investigate a person’s immigration status during a routine traffic stop, which could lead to widespread racial profiling, baseless scrutiny, and illegal arrests of citizens and non-citizens alike presumed to be “foreign” based on how they look or sound.
“The ACLU will fight this law in the courts and in the streets. Until we defeat it, every peson traveling to Texas should be aware of the risks,” said Alison Beyea, executive director of the ACLU of Maine. “Every interaction with law enforcement could potentially become an interrogation into their citizenship or an illegal arrest.”
SB4 requires Texas law enforcement to comply with the federal government’s constitutionally flawed use of “detainer” requests, which ask local law enforcement to hold people for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) even when they lack the legal authority to do so.
Many people held under ICE detainers have turned out to be U.S. ctizens, in violation of their constitutional rights. Between 2008 and 2012, ICE requested local law enforcement thold 834 U.S. citizens, some of whom subsequently spent days in jail.
“The ACLU’s goal is to protect all Texans and all people traveling through Texas – regardless of their immigration status – from illegal harassment by law enforcement,” said Lorella Praeli, national ACLU director of immigration policy and campaigns. “Texas is a state with deep Mexican roots and home to immigrants from all walks of life. Many of us fit the racial profile that the police in Texas will use to enforce Trump’s draconian deportation force.”
SB4 will go into effect on September 1, 2017. However, the ACLU is concerned that some law enforcement officers may begin to treat residents and travelers unfairly now.
The travel alert applies to all travelers to Texas, including U.S. travelers from other states and U.S. citizens. In addition, this alert applies to all encounters with federal, state and county law enforcement including local police and sheriffs.
If individuals believe their rights have been violated because of SB4, they are encouraged to contact the ACLU of Texas at 1-888-507-2970.
ACLU “Know Your Rights” materials are available in a variety of languages here:
