John,

Rolling Stone and Politico report that Trump’s Department of Justice is using the Coronavirus as an argument to ask Congress to approve extraordinary powers to indefinitely detain people and suspend habeas corpus during times of natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation.

This would be applicable to “any statutes or rules of procedure otherwise affecting pre-arrest, post-arrest, pre-trial, trial, and post-trial procedures in criminal and juvenile proceedings and all civil processes and proceedings.”

You read that right: Even if you’ve only been arrested, Trump’s DOJ wants the right for a judge to detain you indefinitely.

The Executive Director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Norman Reimer, said the request is "terrifying." He told Politico, it "means you could be arrested and never brought before a judge until they decide that the emergency or the civil disobedience is over. I find it absolutely terrifying."

Congress must protect the constitutionally-protected rights of all Americans always and reject this dangerous demand by Trump’s DOJ immediately. Sign the petition right now >>

At a time when people held in detention centers are at most risk, with detainees in close contact and very little supplies of soap, sanitizer, and protective equipment, this is not the time to be thinking about ways to lock more people up, especially for an indefinite amount of time.

In fact, some states are even releasing prisoners early rather than hold them in dangerous situations. Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith released six inmates, on house arrest with electronic monitors, early from custody in order to slow the spread of the virus after two other inmates were exposed to COVID-19 and quarantined.

Los Angeles released more than 600 inmates last week, a jail in Ohio moved to release hundreds of inmates over the weekend, and Alameda County approved 314 people at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin for sentence modification and early release. An additional 67 people were released by the court on their own recognizance orders. "We continue to release when we can while protecting public safety," Alameda County Sheriff said in a statement.

All of this is more proof that what Trump’s Department of Justice is asking for -- to retain anyone anywhere for any reason during a crisis -- isn’t about saving lives. It’s about giving themselves more power.

Demand Congress stand up for the rights of every American and reject the DOJ’s request for extraordinary powers to indefinitely detain people and suspend habeas corpus during times of natural disaster, civil disobedience, or other emergency situation.

This is Trump’s Department of Justice. Congress, especially during this crisis, must be very very careful about granting new powers to the government.

But this decision is easy: Congress must stop Trump's DOJ.

Thank you for everything you’re doing in this crisis to keep you, your family, and your community safe.

-Charles

Charles Chamberlain, Chair
Democracy for America