Bismillah
ICE 90-Day Sweep Nets Ziyad Busaile - Raleigh, NC Cardiac Patient Palestinian Immigrant Transferred to Alabama's Infamous Etowah County Detention Center By <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5169> Aishah Schwartz Could a completed Immigration Form G-28 have spared Busaileh the added disadvantage of enduring a transfer to a facility 600 miles from his family and physician? WASHINGTON, D.C. ( <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5174> MASNET) August 4, 2008 - In the course it's investigation into the July 22, 2008, arrest of Raleigh, NC resident <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5169> Ziyad Busaileh, a 60-year-old Palestinian immigrant and cardiac patient, MAS Freedom ( <http://www.masnet.org/freedomfoundation.asp> MASF) learned that between July 14 and August 3 eleven states have reported immigrant detainments in the latest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 'sweep'. Reports indicate ICE's '90-Day Sweep' <http://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/story/566390.html> began July 1, 2008. 'Selective' reporting National and local media sources reveal that states hit in the first 35-days of ICE's latest sweep include: <http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7112254&versi on=8&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1> Arizona, <http://www.manufacturing.net/News-Feds-Arrest-Suspected-Illegal-Immigrants- At-Waco.aspx> Arkansas, <http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/07/22/news/sandiego/zf2d78d13d1fe890a8 825748e007fadc5.txt> California, <http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/25781264.html> Colorado, <http://www.rrstar.com/news/x518441423/Immigration-officials-arrest-49-men-i n-northern-suburbs> Illinois, <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.immigrants01ju l01,0,3717521.story> Maryland, <http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/9371978/detail.html> Massachusetts, <http://www.kswo.com/Global/story.asp?S=8693984> Oklahoma, <http://www.wpri.com/global/story.asp?s=8682713> Rhode Island, <http://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/story/566390.html> South Carolina, and <http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8674115> Tennessee. However, although reported by <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5169> MAS Freedom and <http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=112333&d=2&m=8&y=2008> The Arab News - in North Carolina, where Busaileh was detained by ICE officials shortly after returning to his home following a post-operative visit with his physician thirteen days ago - we find a case that appears seemingly meritless as far as either local or national media coverage is concerned. Imagine that, in any given week of <http://www.pressreference.com/Sw-Ur/United-States.html> 2002, there were 20.6 million paid and 27.4 million free weekly newspapers distributed throughout the United States - could you even begin to fathom what those numbers have multiplied to six years later, factoring in the readership of internet-based news publications hosted by websites and blogs? It is equally unimaginable, given the scores of humanitarian crisis' covered in the news on any given day, that the humanitarian crisis faced by Busaileh and his family might be deemed so unworthy of merit that it could not find its way to any of those publications. Busaileh's story MAS Freedom North Carolina chapter director, <http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=4993> Khalilah Sabra stated that, after originally entering the U.S. at a time when one of his triplet sons was suffering with a life-threatening health crisis, Busaileh later developed diabetes and a heart condition that has, to date, resulted in two heart attacks and two surgical procedures. Busaileh, who is now attempting to recover from the most recent surgery within the confines of a cramped and unaccommodating detention facility more than <http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Raleigh&1s=NC&1y=US&1l=35.7719&1g=-78.63890 1&1v=CITY&2s=AL&2y=US&2l=32.84499&2g=-86.718697&2v=STATE> 600 miles away from his family and physician - requires yet a third, life-sustaining heart surgery before he will be able to resume any semblance of normal life. In the midst of all he and his family have endured with health related issues and the legalities of Busaileh's continued presence in the U.S., he entered the post-9/11 voluntary registration program launched in 2002, otherwise known as National Security Entry/Exit Registration (NSEERS) - a program ICE <http://www.ice.gov/pi/specialregistration/> suspended in December 2003. Subsequent to registering with NSEERS, Sabra stated that Busaileh, a tax-paying sandwich shop worker and father of four U.S.-born children, checked in periodically by phone to verify his status - being told each time, 'not to worry'. Immigrant rights ICE officials routinely arrest immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes or have outstanding warrants against them - and as far as Busaileh knew, he had not violated any law prior to his detainment or subsequent to registering with NSEERS. Suffice it to say, on July 22, Busaileh was very nearly shocked, once again, into cardiac arrest. Sabra also stated that before he was forcibly removed from his home, Busaileh was not allowed to retrieve his eye glasses or medications, was denied the right to make a phone call, strip searched at the detention center and subjected to a rigorous interrogation by ICE authorities. "In the absence of counsel, handicapped by his limited command of the English language (no interpreter was provided), Busaileh was pressured - under the threat of never seeing his family again 'for the next 5-years' - into signing a document he could not possibly have fully comprehended at the time it was presented to him," Sabra added. If the stress of the arrest is not enough to push Busaileh into a third heart attack, consider that his life expectancy is further compromised by the fact that on July 29, 2008, ICE transferred him to the Etowah County Detention Center in Gadsen, Alabama. Etowa is a facility <http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/KHA/KHAApimbola201.htm> infamous for its abusive treatment of detainees - a place where conditions are bleak, the food is meager, and hope fades fast. "Sadly, what many in the immigrant community are not aware of, is that they DO have rights," stated MAS Freedom Executive Director, Mahdi Bray. Bray added, "If you are not guilty of a criminal offense, an important thing to remember is that ICE officials, in conducting their 'raids' and 'sweeps' are generally carrying 'administrative warrants' - not 'criminal warrants' - which means that you are not obligated by law to open the door or allow any ICE representative to enter your home." However, that is not to say that ICE officials do not consider themselves 'above the law'. On April 2, 2008 the ACLU presented a 27-page <http://www.aclu.org/images/asset_upload_file292_34770.pdf> statement for a hearing on Homeland Security Oversight submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee calling for an oversight hearing of DHS sub-department, ICE, in light of ICE's problematic enforcement practices. Also, according to <http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8674115> Phillip Miller, Deputy Field Office Director for ICE's Office of Detention and Removal in New Orleans, in the case of an arrest involving a primary caregiver, ICE has the option to monitor a 'suspect' with a GPS monitoring device. GPS monitoring would most certainly have been a much more appropriate course of action in the Busaileh case, being that he is the primary breadwinner for his family - a responsibility that could very likely be jeopardized if Busaileh does not live long enough to make it to the operating table the life-sustaining third heart surgery recommended by his physician. How many detainees are there? The fact that the Busaileh case has scarcely caused a 'blip' on the media radar screen is indicative of the fact that we can't possibly begin to imagine how many unknown detention cases exist - neither can we know for sure, how many other states have been hit by ICE's latest 'sweep'. Reports as to the number of ICE detainments vary widely. For example, on July 1 the Baltimore Sun <http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.immigrants01ju l01,0,3717521.story> reported that in the months between October 2007 and May 2008 ICE authorities had made an estimated 2,900 arrests. According to a July 14 <http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8674115> report from Tennessee's NewsChannel5, ICE arrests totaled 3,400 nationwide in May 2008 alone. Rounding up the body count is KKTV Colorado's July 22 <http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/25781264.html> article setting out that patrol troopers have reportedly detained an estimated 60,000 immigrants across the nation - 1,000 in Colorado alone. That is right, state troopers In case you missed that one, in February 2006 ICE initiated a program, pursuant to <http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/factsheets/070622factsheet287gprogover.htm> Section 287(g) of the "Immigration and Nationality Act", to 'train' - in a four-week 'crash' course - 10 Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputy sheriff's, for certification as 'federal agents' authorized to perform federal immigration enforcement functions. That was just the beginning. It has been established through a <http://islandia.law.yale.edu/wirc/287g_foia.html> project of Yale Law School through its March 8, 2007 FOIA Disclosure request to ICE, that as of January 17, 2008, ICE has entered into 34 partnership agreements with states and counties across the nation; admitting at the same time that additional agreements exist, but were withheld due to 'statutory exemptions'. In addition to North Carolina and Colorado, other states collaborating with ICE to train junior 'federal agents' include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Do you know a detainee? The number of families suffering from having members torn out of their lives, particularly those who have lost the family's 'breadwinner', is likely staggering. What we do 'know' is that, in roughly the past ten months, ICE officials have detained anywhere between 2,900 to 60,000 immigrant community members. Moreover, considering that there are cases where immigrants do not even have a family member or attorney to contact, how many ICE sweep victims, some arrested in cases of mistaken identity due to outdated residence addresses, remain in facilities like the Etowah County Detention Center, suffering in silence? Do YOU have a Form-G28 in YOUR wallet? MAS Freedom wants the immigrant community to know that there is an added precaution available with the <http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/ImmRightsRes/crkit_files/KYRDeten tion.pdf> potential to stop ICE officials from transferring detainees outside of their local communities: INS <http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/g-28.pdf> Form G-28 - Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative. The purpose of Form G-28 is to provide notice that an attorney or representative of a religious, charitable, social service or similar organization will appear before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of a person involved in a matter before USCIS. There is no fee associated with filing the form, and is generally filed at the time any application or petition is made on your behalf. If you do not have a Form G-28 in YOUR wallet, you might consider it. Form G-28 is available at <http://www.masnet.org> www.masnet.org, together with additional information on the subject of immigrant rights. Additional information is also available in a MAS Freedom alert titled, " <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5173> MAS Freedom Offers Preparedness Advice as ICE Continues 90-Day Sweep". In related news, on August 3, 2008, ICE <http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080803-9999-1m3deport.html> launched its August 5-22 "Operation Scheduled Departure" in five cities across the nation, including San Diego, Santa Ana, Chicago, Phoenix and Charlotte. The program's objective is to encourage people who have outstanding deportation orders to turn themselves in. And the <http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/120562> East Valley Tribune of Phoenix released <http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/120472> findings of federal civil rights violations in the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Apparently Sheriff Joe Arpalo's 'crime suppression/anti-illegal immigration sweeps, was organized contrary to Justice Department regulations that resulted in racial targeting of the local Hispanic community. RELATED: <http://www.masnet.org/takeaction.asp?id=5173> MAS Freedom Offers Preparedness Advice as ICE Continues '90-Day Sweep' <http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=5172> Southern Inhospitality and Alabama's Etowah County Detention Center URL: http://www.masnet.org/articleinterest.asp?id=5174 -------------- <http://www.masnet.org/news.asp?id=4858> Aishah Schwartz is a Muslim American revert and freelance writer. She is also Founder and Director of <http://www.muslimahwritersalliance.com/> Muslimah Writers Alliance and a member of the <http://muslimamericanjournalists.org/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task= userProfile&user=69&Itemid=48> Muslim American Journalists Association.
