USA bans security services from using religion as a basis for action

The US government has issued new guidelines prohibiting federal security services from using religion or national origin as a basis for action or identification of individuals.

This decision came after recent protests raised the issue of the role of race in police actions, citing concern that no charges were filed against two white police officers after the killings of unarmed black men.

Human rights organizations have expressed satisfaction with this decision by US authorities, but said they are not sure how beneficial this decision will be in practical terms.

The organizations particularly expressed regret that these guidelines do not apply to screenings at airports and border crossings, and that they are not binding on police services at the local and state levels.

The new guidelines issued by the US government build on the ban on using race as a factor in suspect profiling introduced in 2003, but human rights organizations warned at the time that this decision had many loopholes.

Protests erupted across the US several days ago after a grand jury in Ferguson did not indict a police officer who killed an unarmed 18-year-old black man, as well as a few days later when a jury in New York did not indict a police officer who, during an arrest, used a rough hold that suffocated a 43-year-old street vendor of illegal cigarettes.