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American Muslim Voice
Blue Triangle Network
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOV 18, 2003
Contact Information:
Samina Faheem Sundas – 650-387-1994
Ben Allen – 415-713-3103
Rally and Press Conference to say “stop Special Re-Registration”
When: Wednesday November 19, 2003
Time: Rally 11.00 AM to 1.00 PM– press conference at 12.00 noon
Where: ICE/BICS Offices - 444 Washington Street at Sansome, San Francisco, California
Who: Victims of Special Registration
Banafsheh Akhlaghi, Immigration Attorney
Samina Faheem, American Muslim Voice, Blue Triangle Network
Rev. Michael Yoshii, Buena Vista Methodist Church
Allison Weir, If Americans Knew
Helal Omeira CAIR Others . . .
The Department of "Homeland Security" Special Re-registration of men and boys from 24 mainly Muslim countries was implemented on November 14, 2003. Last year special registration meant humiliation, detentions and brutality for many of the nearly 90,000 who registered. This program has created a culture of fear, anxiety, frustration and total despair in the Arab and Muslim communities, causing great distress to wives, children and relatives as reported by the American Muslim Voice nationwide hotline.
Last year, registered immigrants were fingerprinted, photographed, and had to turn over bankcards, social security cards, driver's licenses, credit cards and other information. Every time they left the country they were required to get an exit stamp and re-register upon return. In the end, about 13,000 men are facing deportation proceedings! 13,000 families are being affected. The pettiest of visa violations, even those caused by INS incompetence are now tearing families apart. After the 24 countries were registered last year he program was suspended, yet the same people who registered last year are being persecuted again. As the ACLU wrote, “This has all the markings of a trap for unwary immigrants”. Why else “has the government failed abysmally to give those individuals meaningful information on the deadlines and rules governing the program?”
Sponsored by: American Muslim Voice, Blue Triangle Network and We R One/Inter-Community Action Alliance
Cosponsored by: American Civil Rights Union - Sacramento Chapter, American Friends Service, Amnesty International, American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee (ADC), California Interfaith Alliance for Prison Reform, Cambodian American Project for Empowerment, Candidate for ESUHSD School Board, Citizen Tribunal, Code Pink, Faithful Fools Street Ministry, Fear to Friendship, Fellowship of Reconciliation, George Weslock Archdiocese of San Francisco, Global Exchange, Gray Panthers, Immigrant Leadership Forum, Interfaith Freedom Foundation, Iraqi Community Association, Islamic Center of Woodland CA, Justice for New Americans, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Association of America, Not In Our Name, NLG, Pakistani American Alliance, Pakistan American Cultural Association, October 22nd Coalition, Refuse and Resist, Rev. Cecil William veteran civil rights leader, San Jose Evergreen Community College Board (Richard Hobbs, Trustee), SIREN Board San Jose, South Alameda Peace and Social Justice, SAVOR, United for Peace and Justice, United Muslims Of America, Vietnamese American Community of Northern California, Vietnamese American Community Action Team, and others
For more information:
American Muslim Voice Email: amvoice@amuslimvoice.org Website: www.amuslimvoice.org
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