An independent statewide advisory committee sent a report last month to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on whether security measures put in place after 9/11 had led to civil rights violations in New York State. After holding public hearings and reviewing the new practices, the committee concluded that some of the measures “violated the civil rights of members of Muslim, Arab and South Asian communities.” The committee was particularly concerned about the detention of immigrants without formal charges and the registration of members of certain ethnic groups. The committee found that these programs might actually have undermined national security by fostering antagonism between immigrant communities and law enforcement officials. [05/03/04]