CATHOLIC LEGAL IMMIGRATION NETWORK, INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2003
Contact: Maria Carrasco Marks
(202) 635-5825
Washington, DC-The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) has announced that it will award its Excellence in Advocacy Award this year to the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC). CLINIC, a subsidiary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), serves the most vulnerable newcomers without distinction based on race, religion, or national origin. Its 151 community-based, member agencies constitute the nation’s largest network of non-profit organizations providing legal and social services to low-income immigrants.
“ADC is pleased to highlight CLINIC’s fervent commitment to safeguarding civil rights for all Americans,” said Ziad J. Asali, M.D., ADC’s president. “CLINIC’s dedication, advocacy, and coordinated efforts to ensure fair and just immigration policies have set an exemplary model for other organizations.”
CLINIC has publicized and opposed many of the more than 60 changes in immigration law and policy targeting immigrants — particularly Arab-Americans — since September 11, 2001. “Our nation’s clear interest in strong anti-terror policies cannot be pursued at the expense of its core values or by alienating law-abiding people, many of whom themselves fled terror and violence,” said Donald Kerwin, CLINIC’s Executive Director. “We are particularly honored to receive this award at a time when Arab-American communities are experiencing the brunt of many immigration policies that threaten core rights and do not make our nation safer.” In the last year, CLINIC has written comments to new federal regulations, organized liaison meetings with government officials, published articles, and hosted conferences on the treatment of immigrants after September 11, 2001. Recent conferences have featured anti-terrorism experts, government officials and immigrant rights advocates analyzing the effectiveness of security measures targeting immigrants.
The award will be presented at the ADC’s 20th annual convention, “Arab Americans: Toward a National Agenda,” June 12-15 at the Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, Virginia. The convention is the largest annual gathering of Arab Americans, friends and supporters. For more information about the conference visit www.adc.org/convention03/web/adc01.htm.
ADC is a grassroots civil rights organization, which welcomes people of all backgrounds, faiths and ethnicities as members. ADC is committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent and promoting their rich cultural heritage. ADC provided its advocacy award in 2002 to Wade Henderson, Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.
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McCormick Pavilion
415 Michigan Avenue, N.E., Washington, DC 20017
Tel: (202) 635-2556 Fax: (202) 635-2649
E-mail: NATIONAL@CLINICLEGAL.ORG