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AMA/PADF delegate visits
San Francisco INS office
By Samina Faheem
As the coordinator of the AMA/PADF hotline to help Pakistanis in special INS registration, I have been informed of so many different stories about the hardships faced by Muslims.
In order to get first hand knowledge and fulfill our commitment to provide only credible information, I, visited the INS Office in San Francisco on Feb. 13 2003, accompanied by Ms. Hannan Rasheed.
An INS representative took us to the entrance where people go for special registration and other services. The lines were long but we did not see any Pakistanis or Saudis.
We were told that every 20 minutes they had been making announcements for INS special registration. If there were people who had been there for special registration, they were brought to a different window for processing. At that time they were given a yellow
slip to fill out their name, phone number and address etc, and were told to go to the 2nd floor where they were instructed to put these yellow slips in a tray. The yellow slip is picked up by the staff who then calls them by name.
People for special registration can bring a translator or an attorney with them.
We noticed 12 people for registration. During our one hour stay, four people were interviewed. We were told that if you do not have any complications with your
visa, then it will take about 45 minutes for registration after you have been called.
INS does background checks. If everything checks out fine, you are done. However, if they find out that you have overstayed and you have no pending application for change of status, you will be referred to an investigator, who would then take you to the 8th floor
for thorough investigation. If you have overstayed or have any criminal record, they will detain you.
Depending on how vested you are – you own a business, home or have US citizen children - you will be released on bond, as you will not be considered a flight risk. If you are considered a flight risk, you will not be released. You will be given a NTA (Notice
to Appear) in front of an INS judge.
I asked the following questions to the INS representative:
Q-1. How many Muslims have been registered at the INS San Francisco office?
Q-2. How many Muslims have been registered in California and nationwide?
Q-3. How many Muslims have been detained in California and nationwide?
Q-4. How many have been issued a NTA (Notice to Appear) in front of an INS judge.
Q-5. How many Muslims have been deported or are in he process of deportation?
The answer to all these questions was that they cannot release that information.
Q-6. If you have H1 work visa, what does one need to bring for registration?
A: All documents pertaining to your visa and work – passport, driver’s license, credit cards, proof of residence etc.
Q-7. If you have B1 or B2 visitor’s visa?
A: I-94, passport and all the papers that prompted your visit.
Q-8. If you are waiting for status adjustment?
A: Copy of your I-485 and all the paper work related with the INS.
Q-9. Do people need special registration every year?
A: Yes if they are non-immigrants and continue to be a non-immigrant then you will have to come back on or before the anniversary of your registration.
Q-10. Do non-immigrants from every country of the world are required special registration or just Muslim countries?
A: We are the only country which does not keep a good record of exiting people. In 1995 the Congress passed the law to keep record of exiting people.
Q-11. If everybody must register then why start with Muslim countries?
A: Because of 9/11, we needed to implement the 1995 law. We started with the countries that have been declared terrorist countries – Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria and Sudan.
Q-12.Is there any exemption from the INS special registration for elderly, mentally and physically ill people or patients in coma?
A: No such exemption are allowed under the special registration law.
When I drew their attention to the case of a patient who has been in coma for almost two years. I was told that somebody on his behalf should contact the INS in writing. This indicates that there is no exception, even for coma patients.
There could be serious consequences for willful refusal to register.
[Ms. Samina Faheem, the former National Coordinator of the American Muslim Alliance and Coordinator of the AMA/PADF Hotline is now the Executive Director of the American Muslim Voice.]
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