*forwarded email*
 

Subject: Please do SOMETHING about recent Immigration Act [Persian Center News] Special Report: INS Detentions

Greetings friends!

As you have probably heard by now, many Iranians (with visas) who
have gone to register with INS have been detained and are in jail.
The intent of this email is to inform you of the current events, and
provide ways for you to take action.

1. Forward this information to your contacts
_________________________________________________________
2. Sign Petition Form to "White House" against recent INS act and
arresting Iranians and treating them like criminals
http://www.channelonetv.com/.
_________________________________________________________
3. Contact you Senator and representatives' office and express
your outrage on the new INS unconstitutional law which is racial
discrimination against Iranian and middle eastern Communities
throughout the United States;

Senator Barbara Boxter Tel. No: (213)894-5000,(202)224-3553
Fax No: (415)956-6701
Email Address: senator@boxer.senate.gov

Senator Dianne Feinstein: Tel. No (202)224-3841
Email: senator@feinstein.senate.gov
Or go to: http://www.senate.com/state/ca.html

US Congress web site: http://www.congress.org/
US sentors email and phone numbers:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
_________________________________________________________

4. Sign Petition Form Protesting New INS LAW by Keshish Hamid
http://www.payamearamesh.org/
_________________________________________________________

5. We were contacted by law offices of Ms. Banafsheh Akhlaghi in San
Franciso who is being bombarded for requests for help. She is
seeking support from people interested in supporting this cause, and
who are willing to help her help thesepeople.

She reports horrible conditions (shackled, standing for hours, no
drinking water, 2-3 hours sleep, confinement) and overall inhumane
conditions for these people, who voluntarily went in and in many
cases are simply just waiting for change in immigration status,
Green Cards,etc.

PLEASE contact her if you can help and/or spread the news to other
people you know. Preferably she needs help from Persian speaking
volunteers with legal backgrounds--lawyers or paralegals--but she
will take any help she can get. The phone numbers are office: 415-
522-5208 & cell 925-209-7136, email address: bakhlaghi@sbcglobal.net
_________________________________________________________
6. National Lawyer's Guild Publishes "Know Your Rights" in
English & Persian. Read it.
___________________________________________________
7. Some of you may have heard about the inhumane treatment of the
immigration detainees in Los Angeles office of INS. I have been
asked as the President of the Iranian American Lawyers Association
to lead the efforts of our organization to put a stop to such
treatment and call for more humane treatment of the
detainees/prisoners and a more orderly and prompt processing of
these unsuspecting individuals who voluntarily went to the INS
office.

We may need some volunteers to assist us in communicating with
various media and also with respect to coordinating with other
organizations. If you are aware of other efforts, please advise me
so we could attempt to coordinate our efforts. All depends on how
long this unfair treatment continues.

At this time our organization is supporting the demonstrations which
are called by RADIO 670AM for December 18, 2002 at 3:00 p.m. at
Westwood Federal Building and requests that all members and
affiliates to join in the demonstrations. We particularly need
those who can communicate our concerns to the English Media and
obviously the attorneys in our community are the best candidates.

Thanks for your support.

Kayhan S. Shakib
Law Offices of Kayhan S. Shakib
261 South Robertson Blvd., 2nd Floor
Beverly Hills, California 9021
(310) 360-7878
fax (310) 360-7877
e-mail: KayhanS@aol.com
_______________________________________________________
8. National Iranian American Council
http://www.niacouncil.org

INS Detains Hundreds of Iranians Around the Country as Part of
Homeland Security Sweep

Iranian students and other non-immigrants across the country have
been detained as a result of the passing of the December 16 INS
registration deadline for Iranians under the "National Security
Entry-Exit Registration System." The NY Times, CNN and LA Times are
reporting that hundreds of Iranians are being detained and separated
from their families.

At this time of crisis for so many Iranian-American families, NIAC
is using its legislative action center to help you communicate with
your members of Congress on this issue. NIAC is asking that you:
call, write and spread-the-word about this issue to your friends and
family.
______________________________________________________________

RELATED ARTICLES:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mass Arrests of Muslims in LA

<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2589317.stm>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2589317.stm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FOREIGNERS ARRESTED AFTER FAILING TO MEET INS DEADLINE
http://www.kfmb.com/printstory.php?storyID=12670 (12-17-2002) - At
least 50 foreign men were arrested in San Diego after failing to
meet a deadline to be photographed and fingerprinted for a U.S. visa
tracking system.

Yesterday was the first registration deadline set by the Immigration
and Naturalization Service. The agency is required to register an
estimated 35 million foreign visitors in the next three years in an
effort to identify potential terrorists.

Those who had overstayed their student, tourist or business visas
were immediately arrested, even if they had already applied for legal
residency with the INS. The deadline applied to male visa holders 16
years and older from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan and Syria. Foreigners
who are seeking asylum or already have green cards are not affected
by the deadline.

Although the INS refused to say how many people were detained after
registering, immigration lawyers said at least 50 men were arrested
yesterday in San Diego.

In Los Angeles, witnesses said scores were led away in handcuffs.

The move shocked many foreigners and their lawyers, who claimed the
INS had changed its established practice of not detaining people
until their green card applications were processed.

Immigration officials said they have always tried to detain
immigrants who overstayed their visas, but didn't always have the
resources to find them.

"This is not entrapment," Adele Fasano, district director of San
Diego's INS office said. "These are people who have chosen to violate
the laws of our country, and they will be held accountable for
that."

Some attorney's in Los Angeles trying to avoid the arrest of their
clients drove to San Diego after hearing rumors that officers here
weren't detaining people. The rumors proved to be false.

"I've had four clients go in and all four never came out," said Bob
Platt, a Los Angeles attorney.

In San Diego, many of the foreigners who showed up to register were
originally from Iran.

"This is what is supposed to happen in Iran, not the United States,"
said one man who expected to be detained. "People (in Iran) go to see
the government and are never seen again."

Immigration officials said that anyone who has a pending green card
application will be allowed to go before an immigration judge and
plead his case.

The next deadline is January 10 and includes male foreigners from
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Lebanon, Morocco, North
Korea, Oman, Qatar, Somalia, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and
Yemen who arrived before October 1 and plan to stay until at least
the day of registration.

Visa holders from Armenia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are required to
register by February 21.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Los Angeles Times
December 18, 2002

Anger Over INS Arrests

Dozens are held when they obey order for residents of Mideast nations
and Sudan to register. Many say they love the U.S., feel hurt.

By Jennifer Mena, Times Staff Writer

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-detain18dec18.story

In peaceful Irvine, where Iranians who fled the Ayatollah Khomeini
established a tight-knit community of professionals and young
families, the last thing anyone expected was to be tossed in jail.

On Tuesday -- the day after dozens of immigrants from Middle Eastern
countries and Sudan were taken into custody during a government
registration process -- residents like Ahmad Mesbah were filled with
sadness and anger.

"We suffered a lot, and that is why we are here. We love the United
States, so this has been frustrating," said Mesbah, who helps lead
monthly networking meetings for Iranian professionals. "There's also
something ironic about it. This affects the cream of the crop who
came here. We are scientists, doctors, engineers."

The registration, mandated for people from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan
and Syria who are in the United States on temporary visas, led to the
detention on immigration violation charges of as many as several
hundred, some who had nearly completed the process for legal
residency,friends and relatives said.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the Immigration and Naturalization
Service refused to say how many people had been apprehended in
California or around the country in connection with the registration
process. Santa Ana police said as many as 40 people detained at the
INS center there were booked into the city jail Monday. Police in Los
Angeles could not provide an arrest figure.

But in Westwood, Irvine and other communities with large numbers of
Iranian immigrants, and on Persian-language local media, accounts of
detentions were widespread. Local attorneys and callers to radio
stations offered accounts of relatives', some of whom had not been to
their native countries since childhood, being jailed and placed at
risk of being deported.

As some scrambled to bail out jailed relatives, others sought ways to
pressure the government to change course. A lawsuit seeking an
injunction to halt the registration was filed in Santa Ana.

Persian-language radio stations buzzed with commentary. And an
Iranian attorney conducted a vigil outside the INS office in Los
Angeles.

"I have seen with my own eyes at least 450 people being detained just
yesterday [at the INS office in Los Angeles]. They handcuffed them
and walked them away," said attorney Soheila Jonoubi.

"These people came in voluntarily. They wanted to comply with the
law. This is the worst violation of human rights."

Most of those detained posted bail, but now face deportation
hearings.

Under the registration program, men who are required to register are
photographed, fingerprinted and interviewed. Citizens of 13 other
countries -- North Korea and 12 Middle Eastern and North African
nations -- will be required to register by Jan. 10. Men from Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan who are in the United States on temporary visas
are required to register in February.

The INS said about 7,500 immigrants nationwide would be affected, but
Islamic groups said the number could be far higher.

The post-Sept. 11 procedure is designed to help the INS improve its
accountability of immigrants who lack green cards.

Some immigrants, however, said the registration will not lead to
catching terrorists.

"If they were terrorists, they would not show up to the INS for the
registration," said Babak Sotoodeh, a Santa Ana attorney who
emigrated from Iran.

"We ran away from the Ayatollah and the [radical] Islam. We are very
patriotic in the United States," Sotoodeh said. "Why are we being
targeted? It's a total irony."

Hossein Hedjazi, program manager at Persian-language radio station
KIRN-AM (670), said Irvine, Westwood and several other Southern
California communities draw Iranian professionals looking for good
schools and quiet suburbs.

Irvine is home to an annual Persian festival and a Persian New Year's
party in April, both of which draw 20,000 to 30,000 people.

More than 350 Iranians in Irvine participated in an event last year
that raised $75,000 for Sept. 11 victims. A radio-thon on KIRN raised
an additional $100,000.

"We see ourselves as Americans. When something happens to America, it
happens to us," said Mariam Khosravai, an organizer of the fund-
raiser who came to Irvine from Iran in 1985. "We will do anything to
cooperate with the American government. That is why this hurts so
much."

Reza Tabib was indignant that his friend Efran Haj Rasoli -- a
19-year-old Irvine Valley College student -- was taken into custody
Monday because he lacked a residency card. Tabib said the INS wrote
Rasoli a letter indicating it had been approved in 2000 but that
because of INS backlogs, it had not arrived.

"They are looking for terrorists. These people who are turning
themselves in are not terrorists," Tabib said. "This boy is going to
college. He is not a threat to society."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Los Angeles Times
December 18, 2002

Armenian INS requirements reversed
Proposal to require nonimmigrant aliens to register with agency is
eliminated a day after being published by government.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/glendale/news/la-gnp-
armenian18dec18.story

By Gretchen Hoffman, News-Press

GLENDALE -- The White House on Tuesday reversed a controversial
Immigration and Naturalization Service proposal that would have
required some Armenian men to register with and report their
movements to the INS, government officials said.

The proposal was published Monday in the Federal Register -- the
official publication government agencies use to record rules. It
added Armenia, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to a list of countries
whose male citizens have to register with the INS.

It would have affected Armenian citizens older than 16 who came to
the United States on student and work visas or to travel on or
before Sept. 30, 2002, and who will remain in the country after Feb.
21, 2003. It would not have included U.S. citizens of Armenian
descent, men who have been granted asylum or legal residents.

Countries already on the list, which targets nations with terrorist
ties or those suspected of harboring terrorists, include Afghanistan,
Iran and Iraq.

Following the announcement late Friday of Armenia's addition,
Armenian cable channels implored viewers to contact the White House,
asking why the country had been added. That plea resulted in more
than 1,000 phone calls, letters and faxes. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-
Glendale) also questioned the proposal due to Armenia's alliance in
the war against terrorism.

Bill Grady, Schiff's chief of staff, said it was not clear whether
Armenia was included on the list in error or had been removed after
people questioned its addition.

White House officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Francisco Arcaute, spokesman for the Los Angeles division of the INS,
said he had no knowledge of Armenia ever being included in the list,
but confirmed it is not on the list now.

"We were very concerned about this inclusion on the list initially,
but we're glad that there was a revision of the INS policy," said
Ardashes Kassakhian, director of government relations for the
Glendale-based Armenian National Committee Western Region. "We
understand from the Bush administration and the Department of
Justice that there was a mistake made.

"We know that there are a lot of Armenian nationals that may have
been affected by this," he added. "Our concern was as much for their
welfare as it was for the perception that Armenia was going to have
by being added to this list."

Kassakhian pointed to Armenia's history of support for the war on
terrorism, including the country's swift move in granting overflight
rights to U.S. warplanes following the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We are happy [with the decision]," said Alla Chakaryan, a
spokeswoman for the Consulate General of the Republic of Armenia in
Los Angeles. "We are not terrorists and never have been. We have
never supported terrorism."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hundreds of Muslim Immigrants Rounded Up in Calif.
By Jill Serjeant
Reuters
December 18, 2002

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?
tmpl=story2&cid=564&u=/nm/20021219/ts_nm/attack_immigration_dc_3&prin
ter=1

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hundreds of Iranian and other Middle East
citizens were in southern California jails on Wednesday after coming
forward to comply with a new rule to register with immigration
authorities only to wind up handcuffed and behind bars.

Shocked and frustrated Islamic and immigrant groups estimate that
more than 500 people have been arrested in Los Angeles, neighboring
Orange County and San Diego in the past three days under a new
nationwide anti-terrorism program. Some unconfirmed reports put the
figure as high as 1,000.

The arrests sparked a demonstration by hundreds of Iranians outside a
Los Angeles immigration office. The protesters carried banners saying
"What's next? Concentration camps?" and "What happened to liberty
and justice?."

A spokesman for the Immigration and Naturalization Service said no
numbers of people arrested would be made public. A Justice
Department (news -web sites) spokesman could not be reached for
comment.

The head of the southern California chapter of the American Civil
Liberties Union (news - web sites) compared the arrests to the
internment of Japanese Americans in camps during the Second World
War.

"I think it is shocking what is happening. It is reminiscent of what
happened in the past with the internment of Japanese Americans. We
are getting a lot of telephone calls from people. We are hearing
that people went down wanting to cooperate and then they were
detained," said Ramona Ripston, the ACLU's executive director.

JAILS OVERFLOWING

One activist said local jails were so overcrowded that the immigrants
could be sent to Arizona, where they could face weeks or months in
prisons awaiting hearings before immigration judges or deportation.

"It is a shock. You don't expect this to happen. It is really putting
fright and apprehension in the community. People who come from these
countries--this is what they expect from their government. Not from
America," said Sabiha Khan of the Southern California chapter of the
Council on American Islamic Relations.

The arrests were part of a post Sept. 11 program that requires all
males over 16 from a list of 20 Arab or Middle East countries, who
do not have permanent resident status in the United States, to
register with U.S. immigration authorities.

Monday was the deadline for men from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya and
Sudan.

News of the mass arrests came first in southern California, which is
home to more than 600,000 Iranian exiles and their families.

Officials declined to give figures for those arrested or for the
numbers of people who turned up to register, be fingerprinted and
have their photographs taken.

"We are not releasing any numbers," said Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) spokesman Francisco Arcaute.

CALLS FOR HELP

Islamic groups and the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties
Union (ACLU) said they had been swamped with calls for help.

INS spokesman Arcaute said those arrested had violated immigration
laws,overstayed their visas, or were wanted for crimes. The program
was prompted by concern about the lack of records on tourists,
students and other visitors to the United States after the Sept. 11
hijack plane attacks on New York and Washington.

Islamic community leaders said many of the detainees had been living,
working and paying taxes in the United States for five or 10 years,
and had families here.

"Terrorists most likely wouldn't come to the INS to register. It is
really a bad way to go about it. They are being treated as criminals
and that really goes against American ideals of fairness, and
justice and democracy," Khan said.

The Iranian protesters said many of those detained were victims of
official delays in processing visa and green card requests.

"My father, they just took him in," one young man told reporters.
"They've been treating him like an animal. They put him in a room
with, like, 50 other people and no bed or anything."

Khan said one of those in jail was a doctor, who was being sponsored
for U.S. citizenship when his sponsor died.

One Syrian man said he went to register in Orange County with a dozen
friends. He was the only one to come out of the INS office. "All my
friends are inside right now," M.M. Trapici, 45, told reporters. "I
have to visit the family for each one today. Most of them have small
kids."