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December 10, 2014

Obama Admin Tightens Racial Profiling Guidelines But Leaves Controversial Tactics in Place 
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The Obama administration has unveiled new limits on racial profiling by
federal law enforcement agencies. For the first time, the FBI will no
longer be able to claim a Bush-era exemption for racial profiling in
cases deemed to concern national security. The rules also expand the
definition of illegal profiling to include religion, national origin,
gender and sexual orientation. But they contain major exemptions,
including for Department of Homeland Security agents at airports and
border checkpoints. A number of controversial tactics will also remain
in place, include the mapping of ethnic communities and using that
information to launch probes and recruit informants. The rules do not
apply to local or state law enforcement agencies just as their tactics
come under wide scrutiny over racial profiling.

 

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