STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL ROBERT MCCALLUM
ON THE THIRD CIRCUIT DECISION ISSUED
IN NORTH JERSEY MEDIA GROUP V. ASHCROFT:

"Today's decision in the Third Circuit is not just a victory for the Justice Department, but for every American relying on the government to take every legal step possible to protect our nation from acts of terror while preserving constitutional liberties. We are pleased the Third Circuit recognized that open deportation hearings would reveal sensitive information about our ongoing terrorism investigation and aid the terrorists targeting our nation and people. As the Court said, 'Since the primary national policy must be self-preservation, it seems elementary that, to the extent that open deportation hearings might impair national security, that security is implicated...' Justice Department regulations dating from 1964 have expressly allowed select deportation hearings to be closed to protect public interest, and this authority is an important, constitutional tool in this time of war, when we face an unparalleled threat from covert and unknown foes spread across the globe."

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