No subject
Mon Sep 28 15:09:14 CDT 2009
On the other hand in congressional testimony in April 2002, then INS Commissioner James Ziglar commenting on information gathering on foreign visitors noted that: "The magnitude of the problem is very large”. He acknowledged that his agency is incapable of effectively handling much of the acquired or requested information.
Fourth, punishment is not proportionate to the postulated violations. When immigrants are deported for actions everyone considers minor and that were not considered as grounds for deportation when they were committed, we encounter a new set of judicial principles that are potentially highly subjective and susceptible to misuse. As stated in news reports:
An agency official in Southern California said that Justice Department officials in Washington dictated the rules of the program and gave local authorities little leeway to determine who should be detained or released. As a result, hundreds of men with minor visa violations were handcuffed and locked up for days while officials sorted through mountains of paperwork and bail applications (John Broder, New York Times, December 19th 2002).
Fifth, these INS arrests are not likely to be effective, and may even be counterproductive. They are probably ineffective because one cannot see why a potential terrorist would agree to go for registration? By arresting large numbers of those who came to establish their legality, the authorities are indirectly pushing many others into hiding, and illegal status. How do we gain by creating more illegal aliens? The process thus diverts energy and resources that would have better uses elsewhere. When the new laws are seen as not being equitably applied and scientists, technicians, educators, and the general public are subjected to deportation, we have to ask- What is going to be the likely attitude toward the U.S. of a student, professor, or a businessman who sees discriminatory and unjust actions being committed in a nation that is officially opposed to profiling? Aren’t these and similar actions going to be counterproductive in the long run?
Let it be noted that the INS action is not just a response to 9/11. The long-term laws were set in motion in 1996 and it is the cumulative effect that is now becoming palpable. How little they may reflect the underlying principles of the USA can be seen from the Supreme Court’s affirmation in June 2001 of the rights of aliens to judicial review. These new laws and the manner of their enforcement set an unhappy new precedent for all immigrants- they are to be considered guilty until they can prove their innocence.
The comments on some of the placards at the recent Los Angeles call-in registration are worth noting. The signs carried by protestors included:
1. Detain Terrorists Not Innocent Immigrants
2. Free our Fathers, Brothers, Husbands, and Sons
3. Remember the Dream
4. Unconstitutional Detention = Racism
5. Violation of Civil Rights
6. What Happened to Liberty and Justice for All?
7. What Next? Concentration Camps?
http://la.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/24193.php
Is it our goal to make the Homeland secure through laws that make everyday life so potentially unpleasant that no one will wish to enter the Homeland? Let not the stakes of Homeland Security become a self-fulfilling prophecy of more suspicion and injustices.
è Be an agent of change, help America improve its global image. Voice your opinion now: call or write to the head of your academic institution and your local member of congress.
Let us learn from the Armenian American community in how we can organize and be effective in standing up for our rights and duties. We indeed find that Armenia was initially added to the list of countries whose citizens needed to report, but only to be subsequently removed. We are told that within the first 24 hours of issuing an action alert, over 10,000 ANCA Web Faxes were sent to President Bush expressing the Armenian American community's profound opposition to this action. The Bush administration quickly reversed its course on Armenia, and the Department of Justice dropped Armenia from the list of countries whose adult male citizens living temporarily in the United States must register with immigration authorities (John Broder, New York Times, Dec 19, 2002). Similar protests by Arab-Americans and Muslim American organizations were ignored. This episode only reinforces what immigrant rights and human rights organizations have been saying all along, that the recent INS laws are targeting Arabs and Muslims.
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Citizens Academics for Fair Immigration Laws (CAFIL)
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<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=5><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The Spirit of American Law and Recent Actions by the INS <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nations are known by the laws<INS cite=mailto:Irfan%20Ahmad dateTime=2002-12-30T12:34> that embody their values</INS>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Societies uphold the laws because their members perceive the laws to be fair, impartial, and effective in protecting and guaranteeing the values that all cherish. The recent actions of the U.S. Immigration and Natural Service (INS: </SPAN><A href="http://www.ins.gov/"><FONT color=#003366 size=3>www.ins.gov</FONT></A><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">) cast doubts over these principles. Thousands of non-immigrants have been required to appear without proper notice as part of the mandatory call-in registration and told to establish their innocence. Arresting 16-year-old boys who are on derivative status is but suggestive of the manner in which undemocratic countries produce and maintain domestic order. As <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">John Broder wrote in New York Times on December 19<SUP>th</SUP>, 2002- </SPAN></STRONG><I>Immigration officials acknowledged today that they could not handle the flood of men who appeared to register this week and that they were not prepared for the chaos and anger the program provoked.</I><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Andrew Gumbel of the Independent, UK; wrote that the:<I> Lawyers reported that some detainees were forced to stand up all night for lack of room, that some were shackled, and others were hosed down with cold water before being thrown into unheated cells. They said the numbers were so high that authorities were talking about transferring several hundred detainees to Arizona to await immigration hearings and deportation orders.</I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><I>(Andrew Gumbel http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=363109).<o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">There are at least five reasons why these actions, humiliating on occasion, are contrary to fairness, equity, and effectiveness.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">First</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, many of the INS officers are not fully informed about the policies and actions being undertaken.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Some INS individuals are hence too scared to commit errors of judgment calls.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>According to news reports the <I>“problem in Southern California was because a new acting immigration chief was terrified of seeing his career ruined if he released the wrong person.” </I>(The Times of London, “<I><A href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-519449,00.html" target=_blank><FONT color=#003366>Hundreds Held In US Round-Up Of Immigrants</FONT></A></I>,” December 20, 2002).<I><o:p></o:p></I></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Second</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, the new INS laws are being applied retroactively.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The combined impact of these laws ("AEDPA" and "IIRAIRA") has produced tragic consequences. The result has subjected long-term, legal immigrants to deportation without recourse to a hearing, based upon offenses that were not grounds for deportation at the time they were committed. </SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://www.murthy.com/uklobcon.html"><FONT color=#003366>http://www.murthy.com/uklobcon.html</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Third</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, the laws are promulgated at a time and in a manner that make them virtually impossible to obey.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At a time when many are busy preparing plans for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Students and spouses who have been admitted for studies starting in January 2003 have been informed on December 12 that they needed a new type of visa. It is logistically impossible that new visa can be approved in such a short span of time as four weeks. <SPAN style="COLOR: black">Technical and bureaucratic delays<B> </B></SPAN>are causing many faculty and students to run out of status, despite having applied for adjustment of status (AOS) while in legal status in the U.S.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText2 style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From the federal agencies’ standpoint; for the past several weeks, there has been a considerable slow down in the processing of all nonimmigrant and immigrant cases through both the Service Centers and the local offices. This slow down is apparently related to the use of a database called the IBIS (Interagency Border Inspection System) to screen all applications and petitions filed with the INS. In order to implement IBIS, computers at the INS offices had to be loaded with the system and disconnected from the Internet (http://www.jackson-hertogs.com/news/2002/0520b.htm). <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">On the other hand in congressional testimony in April 2002, then INS Commissioner James Ziglar commenting on information gathering on foreign visitors noted that: <I>"The magnitude of the problem is very large”.</I><SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He acknowledged that his agency is incapable of effectively handling much of the acquired or requested information. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=article style="MARGIN: auto 0in"><I>Fourth</I>, punishment is not proportionate to the postulated violations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When immigrants are deported for actions everyone considers minor and that were not considered as grounds for deportation when they were committed, we encounter a new set of judicial principles that are potentially highly subjective and susceptible to misuse.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As stated in news reports:</P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in"><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">An agency official in Southern California said that Justice Department officials in Washington dictated the rules of the program and gave local authorities little leeway to determine who should be detained or released. As a result, hundreds of men with minor visa violations were handcuffed and locked up for days while officials sorted through mountains of paperwork and bail applications <STRONG><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal">(John Broder, New York Times, December 19<SUP>th</SUP> 2002).</SPAN></STRONG><B><o:p></o:p></B></SPAN></I></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Fifth</SPAN></I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">, these INS arrests are not likely to be effective, and may even be counterproductive. They are probably ineffective because one cannot see why a potential terrorist would agree to go for registration? By arresting large numbers of those who came to establish their legality, the authorities are indirectly pushing many others into hiding, and illegal status. How do we gain by creating more illegal aliens? The process thus diverts energy and resources that would have better uses elsewhere. When the new laws are seen as not being equitably applied and scientists, technicians, educators, and the general public are subjected to deportation, we have to ask- What is going to be the likely attitude toward the U.S. of a student, professor, or a businessman who sees discriminatory and unjust actions being committed in a nation that is officially opposed to profiling? Aren’t these and similar actions going to be counterproductive in the long run?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Let it be noted that the INS action is not just a response to 9/11. The long-term laws were set in motion in 1996 and it is the cumulative effect that is now becoming palpable. How little they may reflect the underlying principles of the USA can be seen from the Supreme Court’s affirmation in June 2001 of the rights of aliens to judicial review. These new laws and the manner of their enforcement set an unhappy new precedent for all immigrants- they are to be considered guilty until they can prove their innocence. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The comments on some of the placards at the recent Los Angeles call-in registration are worth noting.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The signs carried by protestors included:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Detain Terrorists Not Innocent Immigrants<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">2.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Free our Fathers, Brothers, Husbands, and Sons<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">3.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Remember the Dream<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">4.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Unconstitutional Detention = Racism<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">5.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Violation of Civil Rights<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">6.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What Happened to Liberty and Justice for All?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 0.75in; TEXT-INDENT: -0.25in; tab-stops: list .75in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">7.<SPAN style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What Next? Concentration Camps?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A href="http://la.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/24193.php"><FONT color=#003366>http://la.indymedia.org/news/2002/12/24193.php</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoBodyText style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Is it our goal to make the Homeland secure through laws that make everyday life so potentially unpleasant that no one will wish to enter the Homeland?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Let not the stakes of Homeland Security become a self-fulfilling prophecy of more suspicion and injustices.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><SPAN style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings">è</SPAN></SPAN></B><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> </SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Be an agent of change, help America improve its global image.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Voice your opinion now:<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>call or write to the head of your academic institution and your local member of congress. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Let us learn from the Armenian American community in how we can organize and be effective in standing up for our rights and duties. We indeed find that Armenia was initially added to the list of countries whose citizens needed to report, but only to be subsequently removed. We are told that <SPAN style="COLOR: black">within the first 24 hours of issuing an action alert, over 10,000 ANCA Web Faxes were sent to President Bush expressing the Armenian American community's profound opposition to this action. The Bush administration quickly reversed its course on Armenia, </SPAN>and the Department of Justice dropped Armenia from the list of countries whose adult male citizens living temporarily in the United States must register with immigration authorities (<SPAN style="COLOR: black">John Broder, New York Times, Dec 19, 2002)</SPAN>. Similar protests by Arab-Americans and Muslim American organizations were ignored. This episode only reinforces what immigrant rights and human rights organizations have been saying all along, that the recent INS laws are targeting Arabs and Muslims. </SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt">Citizens Academics for Fair Immigration Laws (CAFIL)</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"><A href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/artic"></A><A href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/artic"></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P><p><br><hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>
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