The US Justice Department and its top officials could be open to lawsuits by former immigration detainees for everything from wrongful detentions to physical abuse – and the best evidence may come from the Justice Department itself. For nearly two years, the Justice Department has rebuffed attempts by outsiders to obtain information about the detainees – even fighting requests to release their names. But now the department’s own Inspector General’s Office, which functions as an internal watchdog unit, has shed light on what it characterizes as a flawed process under which 762 foreigners were detained without bond or any criminal charges being introduced against them. As a result, Attorney General John Ashcroft is likely to face tough questions about whether Congress has ceded too much authority to the Justice Department over surveillance and immigration since Sept. 11. It will give ammunition to critics who are trying prevent the department from further expanding its powers – and may bring at least more attempts at legal action against DOJ. Full Story
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