Attorney General Ashcroft has sent a bill to the house of representatives "to combat terrorism and defend the nation against terrorists acts" (The "Mobilisation against terrorism Act").

The new bill makes it possible for the US Attorney General to detain foreigners suspected of terrorism and deport them without presenting any evidence.

Immigration advocates and civil libertarians are alarmed. They fear the response by the US Government to the terrorist scare might be an infringement of constitutional rights.

Ashcroft also announced that internal immigration rules are to be tightened. Suspected immigrants can be detained 48 hours, instead of one day, before charging them.

The new measures apply to both visitors and green card holders.

"This proposed legislation is basically making a doormat of the Constitution. It would permit the INS to serve as prosecutor, judge and jury with no judicial review", said immigration lawyer Mike Magio.

Constitutional questions would play a role in the debate according to congressional aides. The spokesman for Democratic Senator Patrick J. Leahy said: "The last thing we want to do is rashly pass something that could be tossed out by courts."

According to a report in The Washington Post the Justice Department spokesman Dan Nelson declined to discuss the proposed legislation, which could be sent to Congress very soon.

|Source: The Washington Post |
| The draft Bill (pdf)|