Immigration crackdown shatters Muslims' lives

Chicago Tribune ^ | November 16, 2003 | Cam Simpson, Flynn McRoberts and Liz Sly

[sarcasm]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- The 75 passengers on the Icelandair jet sat strapped to their seats, cloth bands cinching their arms to their waists for all but the final descent of the three-leg, 20-hour flight.

Struggling to feed themselves, they spilled rice and meat onto the floor of the cabin. A trip to the bathroom required the escort of a federal agent.

After the plane screeched to a halt in the sweltering July heat, U.S. officials herded the men off the jet and onto the soil of their native Pakistan. The purpose of the flight: deportation. Why them? Their nationality.

Some of the men had been jailed for months before they were tossed out of America. Some had been convicted of crimes. All had been in the U.S. illegally. But the chief reason many were singled out is they were from one of the Muslim countries targeted by American officials trying to foil another Sept. 11.

[craig_eddy]

Oh BARFFFFFFFF, WRETCH...you mean we actually deported some ILLEGALS?? Oh the humanity!

[pcx99]

All had been in the U.S. illegally.

That's the only important fact in the entire stupid article.

[Elle Bee]

Nationality????

How about serial unlawful acts ... how about breaking the law and facing consequence for your actions

.

[tessalu]

Stupid article, I agree.

[piasa]

Immigration crackdown shatters Muslims' lives

Aaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwww.

* sniff *

Cry me a river, baby.

All had been in the U.S. illegally...

That's all we need to know. If they had been legal, it'd be another story but I'm not shedding tears for these folks.

[patj]

targeted by American officials trying to foil another Sept. 11.

Geez, is that a bad thing? What song will they sing when they fly a jetliner into the Sears tower? Will Chicago bleed for all the illegals that were deported? No, they will blame President Bush for not doing more to protect them. Read the Tribune sports page and toss the rest into the dumpster.

[onyx]

I am pleasantly shocked to learn we're actually deporting illegals, albeit, a mere seventy-five.

[macrahanish #1]

They will be back.
We should have dropped them in the ocean.

[armyboy]

They were illegal immigrants. They deseved what they got.

[jocon307]

"Oh the humanity!"

LOL, we should start that, an "oh the humanity" alert! This article would certainly qualify.

A long, long article. Even though I managed to remember my name & password for the Trib I couldn't read it all. This I made note of, they don't have great roads in Pakistan, some woman neglected her husband (now he's deported), it's all Ashcroft's fault, and really, the Mexicans are worse.

Well, I guess it's time for me to go back to my old original tagline....

[TomGuy]

Tell your friends there in Pakistan, etc., how badly
you were treated, and swear to never visit again.
Or try coming legally, if you ever decide to return.

[onyx]

Agreed. Feed the fish.

[Dudoight]

"But that argument rings hollow in the Muslim enclaves of America, where community leaders such as Noorani warn that the unequal treatment of Muslim men inevitably will create a backlash."

Is this a Muslim threat? I think the 9-11 tragedy and all the rhetoric from OBL is enough to engender precautionary measures by the US to protect its citizenry. Illegals were deported. No one was killed. Mr. Noorani's warning is really quite innapropriate.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Some had been convicted of crimes. All had been in the U.S. illegally.

And, I'm supposed to feel badly for this people...exactly why?

[csvset]

They'll probably get jobs in call centers and create havoc for the companies that have off shored their customer service jobs. /sarcasm

[genefromjersey]

Oh dear ! Oh goodness me !!
This is veddy,veddy uncivilised !!!

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[Beck_isright]

"All had been in the U.S. illegally."

Beyond that phrase, the rest of the article is crap.

[null and void]

"But that argument rings hollow in the Muslim enclaves of America, where community leaders such as Noorani warn that the unequal treatment of Muslim men inevitably will create a backlash."

And the total inability of møøselimbs to turn in a single terrorist, or even speak out against terrorism will create a backlash.

Ball's in their court...