Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hundreds of Muslim Immigrants Rounded Up in Calif.
Reuters ^ | 12/18/2002 | Jill Serjeant

Posted on 12/18/2002 6:41:55 PM PST by John Lenin

By Jill Serjeant

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."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Free Republic; US: California
KEYWORDS: immigrantlist
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-184 next last
To: slimer
Laws are always enforced selectively, we have so many laws it's hard for the average citizen to go through one day without breaking some law that is on the books somewhere.
41 posted on 12/18/2002 7:28:05 PM PST by John Lenin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: AngrySpud
"All my friends are inside (jail) right now ... "

All your friends are belong to us now. - Tom

42 posted on 12/18/2002 7:29:43 PM PST by Capt. Tom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

And for those illegal immigration rights activists out there, since when is patriotism or devotion to country measured by paying taxes and squeezing out kids?
43 posted on 12/18/2002 7:31:01 PM PST by piasa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
"The arrests sparked a demonstration by hundreds of Iranians outside a Los Angeles immigration office."

Thanks for making the next round-up that much easier.

44 posted on 12/18/2002 7:32:02 PM PST by HighWheeler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Capt. Tom
Of course now the Saudis and Yemenis with violations are less likely to show up. - Tom

It's an important message that has been sent to the bums. Many of them will now vacate the premises. As for those arrested, cry me a river.

45 posted on 12/18/2002 7:33:01 PM PST by Dec31,1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
THE ARTICLE STATED: "They are being treated as criminals..."

That's because they ARE CRIMINALS!!!

46 posted on 12/18/2002 7:33:01 PM PST by Concerned
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
Reply to post #1: If they don't like their treatment, they can return to their country of origin.
47 posted on 12/18/2002 7:36:07 PM PST by A6M3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
Interesting in that there was absolutely NO coverage about this in the local print or video news. Liberals haven't even taken up the cause.
48 posted on 12/18/2002 7:37:19 PM PST by BunnySlippers
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
I think the title of this story is misleading. These are nationals from other countries not necessarily muslims, though I'm sure some are.

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.

49 posted on 12/18/2002 7:41:47 PM PST by Life of Brian
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
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.

Nice pilot program for expansion to round up the illegal Mexicans

OOPS!  Too many votes, never mind, no laws broken there!

The whole thing just pi$$e$ me off.  Glad they got the ragheads out but hey, if the mexicans are willing to vote ILLEGALLY, the polytricksens will kiss their a$$e$.

If the government will get all the illegals out then we go back to a level playing field.  THAT is what the libs are afraid of, playing by the rules.   What a bunch of WIMPS.

50 posted on 12/18/2002 7:42:25 PM PST by TLI
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Concerned
"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."

Whiner, go see Midnight Express and than come back and tell me about harsh jail conditions.
51 posted on 12/18/2002 7:44:56 PM PST by John Lenin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: BunnySlippers
The flights back to the Middle East will be among the safest planes to fly on in over a year.
52 posted on 12/18/2002 7:47:19 PM PST by Dec31,1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
According to some people violating immigration laws, expired visa's and commiting crime is not a good enough reason to have these people arrested. After 9/11 we have even more of an obligation to defend this country and to ignore these people would be the real crime.
53 posted on 12/18/2002 7:48:10 PM PST by Arpege92
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BunnySlippers
Good point. I don't expect them to, either. Too many Americans are against Muslim immigrants for anyone to stop what the INS is doing (as if they should stop, anyway). Deport the lawbreakers before they can kill more of us.

I find it so funny that these people can preach hate against the US on a daily basis and then turn around and ask us for our help. Heh heh, dream on. After Sept. 11th, no one is going to help them. I wouldn't p!ss on a Muslim if he/she was on fire.
54 posted on 12/18/2002 7:48:23 PM PST by Morrigan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
My God, is the USA doing something that actually might prevent future catastrophic attacks? Wow!
55 posted on 12/18/2002 7:50:09 PM PST by Monty22
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
Well, it's about freaking time!
56 posted on 12/18/2002 7:52:06 PM PST by July 4th
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #57 Removed by Moderator

To: Morrigan

Hillary Kissing Arafat's wife Suha. Is she still safely in France with the children?


58 posted on 12/18/2002 7:59:33 PM PST by Dec31,1999
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 54 | View Replies]

To: John Lenin
I am in shock this evening because just heard that a Jordanian doctoral candidate is being interviewed for a faculty position at the university where I am also a candidate and have been hoping for employment. She and her spouse have managed to have 2 kids while here, so the children are citizens, she and her husband are here on student visas. She is certainly qualified, but so are several other students finishing their dissertations. I am so ignorant of the hiring laws in these situations; can the university hire her when other qualified candidates who are citizens are applying for the position? I can't believe this.
59 posted on 12/18/2002 8:01:24 PM PST by PLK
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #60 Removed by Moderator


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 181-184 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson