Opinion ID: 565274
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Standing and American-Arab

Text: 19 American-Arab sues in its own right and on behalf of its members. American-Arab has standing for such suit if  '(a) its members would otherwise have standing to sue in their own right; (b) the interests it seeks to protect are germane to the organization's purpose; and (c) neither the claim asserted nor the relief requested requires the participation of individual members in the lawsuit.'  New York State Club Ass'n, Inc. v. City of New York, 487 U.S. 1, 9, 108 S.Ct. 2225, 2232, 101 L.Ed.2d 1 (1988) (quoting Hunt v. Washington Apple Advertising Comm'n, 432 U.S. 333, 343, 97 S.Ct. 2434, 2441, 53 L.Ed.2d 383 (1977)). 20 The government argues that American-Arab does not have standing to sue because it has not shown that its individual members would have standing. The government challenges the district court's reliance on the declaration of the Director of American-Arab's Legal Services Department (the Director) which states that American-Arab has members who would support the PFLP, and hold PFLP views which they would advocate.... Excerpt of Record at 73. The government contends that this is insufficient proof that American-Arab's members wish to engage in the activities proscribed by the challenged provisions. For the same reason, the government argues that American-Arab's statement in appellees' complaint, that its members receive and distribute literature which the government might consider a violation of one of the challenged provisions and that they financially and politically support, or would support, the PFLP are insufficient. Finally, the government argues that injury is not shown by alleging that the first amendment rights of American-Arab members have become chilled. The government notes that the  '[c]hilling effect' is cited as the reason why the governmental imposition is invalid rather than as the harm which entitles the plaintiff to challenge it. United Presbyterian Church v. Reagan, 738 F.2d 1375, 1378 (D.C.Cir.1984) (emphasis in original); see also Laird, 408 U.S. 1, 13-14, 92 S.Ct. at 2318, 2325-26 ( 'Allegations of a subjective 'chill' are not an adequate substitute for a claim of specific present objective harm or a threat of specific future harm; 'the federal courts established pursuant to Article III of the Constitution do not render advisory opinions.'  (citation omitted)). 21 In response, appellees argue that the Director's declaration is sufficient because American-Arab need not allege that its members will become members of or affiliate with the PFLP; the statute, they argue, proscribes oral and written advocacy as well. The appellees make no further argument specifically addressed to the standing of American-Arab, although presumably they would adopt the arguments made in support of the standing of the individual appellees. 22 American-Arab, according to appellees' complaint, has more than 17,000 members and 6 local chapters in the United States. It publishes information of concern to Arab-Americans and provides legal services in defamation, discrimination, and immigration cases. Some of its members are of Palestinian origin and engage in the kinds of activities which appear to be the basis for the pending deportation proceedings.... Excerpt of Record at 42. Members also read and distribute literature such as Al Hadaf and Democratic Palestine which the government indicates are periodicals which speak for the PFLP,  'a self-described ... Marxist-Leninist organization....'  Government's Opening Brief at 40. 23 We need not decide whether or when allegations of chilling effect are sufficient injury to support standing. Even if its members are chilled, American-Arab has not alleged sufficient facts to support standing. American-Arab's allegations sufficiently give them a special interest in the outcome of the present case; however, this does not provide standing. Sierra Club v. Morton, 405 U.S. 727, 738-39, 92 S.Ct. 1361, 1367-68, 31 L.Ed.2d 636 (1972). American-Arab does not allege that its members have been charged with the challenged provisions, that they are members of the PFLP, or that they in fact wish to become members of the PFLP. The allegation that American-Arab and its members receive two publications which the government believes espouse the views of the PFLP does not prove that American-Arab members are subject to or will be subject to deportation under the challenged provisions. See Younger, 401 U.S. at 40-42, 91 S.Ct. at 748-49; Hardwick v. Bowers, 760 F.2d 1202, 1206 (11th Cir.1985) (heterosexual couple claiming that the state's anti-sodomy law chilled aspects of their private life lacked standing because they failed to show membership in a group likely to be prosecuted), rev'd on merits, 478 U.S. 186, 106 S.Ct. 2841, 92 L.Ed.2d 140 (1986); cf. United States v. Students Challenging Regulatory Agency Procedures, 412 U.S. 669, 688-689, 93 S.Ct. 2405, 2416-17, 37 L.Ed.2d 254 (1973) (A plaintiff must allege that he has been or will in fact be perceptibly harmed by the challenged agency action, not that he can imagine circumstances in which he could be affected by the agency's action). 24 We reverse the district court's finding that American Arab has standing. 5