The NJ Civil Rights Defense Committee acts to protect the Bill or Rights that so many Americans have struggled, fought and died for. We will not stand aside and allow the government to destroy our civil rights. We will not be accomplices. There cannot be democracy for the few: if one is oppressed, all are oppressed.

The US Government's illegal detention without charge of immigrants, American citizens and all others must stop immediately. The special registration program, which is designed to establish an apartheid system, must stop immediately. The unconstitutional anti-terrorism legislation must be ended immediately.

We are building a community-based movement to end these injustices and to defend our democratic rights. We work with like-minded groups in other parts of the country. We are part of a powerful historic tradition standing up for justice and for the civil rights of all.

2005 - Passaic County Jail contract terminated

The contract to hold immigrant detainees at the Passaic County Jail has been terminated. NJCRDC has been demanding this for the last four years because of the extensive human rights abuses at the prison.

2005 - The release of Madani Ba

We were instrumental in putting pressure on ICE of Homeland Security through phone calls and emails to enable the release of this detainee. See the Herald News article Nowhere To Go.

2004 - Immigration Authorities End Torture-by-Dogs of Detainees in US Jails

The immigrant rights’ movement won a significant victory when the Dept. Of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm directed that all jails in the US holding immigrant detainees cease to use dogs around the detainees. View the December 6 NJCRDC press release