>http://www.aclu-sc.org/releases/view/103076 > >Citizen Invokes Right to an Attorney, FBI Retaliates by Revoking Wifeâs Visa > >Wednesday, May 25, 2011 > >(LOS ANGELES)-The ACLU of Southern California >announced that it has filed a lawsuit on behalf >of American citizen Samy Ali, to challenge the >federal governmentâs revocation of his wife's >visa in retaliation for his exercising the right >to counsel during FBI questioning. The case was >filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. > >Ali fully cooperated with the FBI as it >questioned him about his brother-in-law, who had >gone missing overseas. Ali, concerned for his >brother-in-law as well as for the well-being of >his sister, niece and nephew, maintained close >contact with the FBI for several >months. However, despite his cooperation, the >FBI agents later turned hostile, threatening Ali >with the baseless accusation that he had engaged >in illegal activity by accumulating credit card >debt. Shaken and disturbed by the FBIâs >threats, Ali sought the advice of an attorney, >who informed the FBI that she would represent >Ali at any further FBI questioning. In >response, the FBI stated that they were no >longer interested in speaking with Ali if he was represented. > >Several weeks later, Ali flew to Egypt to pick >up his wife and young child, and return to the >United States to begin a new life >together. Aliâs wife had been granted a visa >and green card by United Citizenship and >Immigration Services earlier that >year. However, shortly after Ali arrived, the >U.S. Embassy informed him that his wifeâs visa >had been revoked and failed to provide any valid >basis for the revocation. Ali was forced to >return home alone. The FBI later made clear >that Ali could fix his wifeâs visa problems if >he would cooperate further without his attorney. > > âThe government flagrantly misused its > immigration authority to retaliate against Mr. > Ali, who had been fully cooperating with the > FBI,â said Michael Kaufman, an attorney with > the ACLU of Southern > California. âUnfortunately, Mr. Ali's case > is part of a larger pattern of abusive FBI > tactics that have driven a wedge between Muslim > communities and law enforcement, making us all less safe.â > >Ali's case presents the latest example of a >pattern of abuse whereby the FBI misuses the >immigration laws to coerce members of the Muslim >community to provide information, a phenomenon >documented in a recently issued report by the >Center for Human Rights and Global Justice >entitled "Under the Radar." >http://chrgj.org/projects/docs/undertheradar.pdf > The FBI's tactics have caused distrust between >the Muslim community and the FBI throughout the country. > >âI have always considered myself a proud >American, but I am now afraid and distrustful of >the FBI,â said Ali. âI tried my best to >help the FBI and they repaid me with threats and >separation from my wife and daughter.â > >âThe government's retaliatory revocation of >his wife's visa constitutes a clear violation of >Mr. Ali's constitutional rights,â said >Geoffrey Forgione, pro bono counsel from the law >firm Jones Day. âThe government should make >right this egregious wrong by apologizing to Mr. >Ali and his family and immediately re-issuing >the visa so that the family can be reunited.â > >The law suit asks a federal court to order the >government to re-issue Marwa's visa according to >law. No monetary relief is sought.
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