President Obama Will Dismantle NSEERS, Making a Muslim Registry Harder to Create

A national religious registry of Muslims sets the stage for violence and further discrimination. Such a registry runs contrary to our nation’s promise of religious liberty - and yet, its basic structure already exists.

Update: As reported in the New York Times, President Obama will dismantle NSEERS, the program used after 9/11 to track Muslims in the United States. This is a major victory for blocking a Muslim registry.

Originally posted December 20, 2016

From 2002 until 2011, the National Security Exit-Entry Registration System (NSEERS) was used to register and track hundreds of thousands of non-citizens when they came into or left the U.S. People from selected countries, all but two of them predominantly Muslim, were required to register on arrival, undergo more thorough interrogation than other visitors, and submit to be fingerprinted.

The NSEERS program has been found to be ineffective as a counterterrorism tool, has resulted in tremendous harm for individuals who were directly affected, and has disrupted relationships with immigrant communities. Despite its suspension in 2011, however, the regulatory infrastructure behind the program is still in place.

The NSEERS program essentially creates the kind of Muslim registry that President-elect Donald Trump and some members of Congress have called for. As the law stands, President Trump could revive the program relatively easily - without debate in Congress.

There’s an easy way to address this problem, though. Before he leaves office, President Obama should eliminate the NSEERS program. The new administration could still work to create a Muslim registry, but it will be more difficult if there isn’t a ready-made program available for them to use.

Take Action

FCNL is proud to join nearly 200 other organizations in a letter urging President Obama to rescind this discriminatory system.

You can add your voice to this call.

Tweet to Act

Share your opposition to NSEERS and to a Muslim registry with the president and your members of Congress via Twitter.

See sample tweets and act now, or retweet FCNL’s message below:

Write a Letter to the Editor

In your letter, mention your members of Congress by name and encourage them to speak out against any proposals to create a Muslim registry.

See a sample message and tips on writing your letter.

Act in Your Community

Consider joining or organizing events in your area that show support for Muslim neighbors and oppose any efforts to increase Islamophobia and violence through a registry.

FCNL staff join colleagues from the ACLU and Oxfam to oppose a Muslim registry.
Yasmine Taeb/FCNL
FCNL staff march with colleagues from the ACLU and Oxfam America to oppose a Muslim registry. 12/12/16

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