"In that moment I loathed America. I loathed the entire country. And it was my 117th visit to the country so I know that most people are very generous and warm-hearted. They have been wonderful to me over the years. I got over that hatred within a day or two. But this is not the way to win friends, to do this to someone who is Australian when we have supported them in every damn war. It’s absolutely outrageous." (Mem Fox, The Guardian)I am well aware that this list of people who have been detained by CBP and ICE is by no means comprehensive. In fact, based on an article in The Boston Globe today where it was reported that "the Boston office of US Customs and Border Protection has recently asked local police departments to make more bed space available for the short-term detention of noncitizens", it is likely just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. These are just a few names that have come out of people who have been detained. Some of them were notable because they were notable people or worked for well known organizations that had powerful backers. Others were notable simply because of the extremity. No one knows who the Iranian woman was with the baby or the woman from Taiwan was that Mem Fox saw in the BCP waiting room--all detained alongside her. How many countless others are there in detention right now, frightened and unsure of what is going to happen next?
The one thing that can be certain though, based on this strange collection of detainees is that it doesn't matter who you are or where you were born. You can be an US citizen--even born in this country--Australian, Argentinian or from some small country in the Caribbean. You can be white, black, or brown--even a permanent US resident--and you can be detained or perhaps even denied entry into the country, itself, suddenly stripped of your own home and, as seems to be repeated again and again, deprived of legal counsel.
I'm also keenly aware by making these observations and writing this post that I should probably not plan on flying out of the country myself anytime soon. That's okay because when someone like Mem Fox, whose chosen career is to write charming children's books, is filled with the kind of loathing quoted above, we definitely have a problem here in the US that can't go without notice. I will be updating this list as it grows as that is very likely going to happen.
Husband of Stacy-Marie Ishmael--Stacy-Marie Ishmael is a
former reporter for Buzzfeed and the Financial Times. Her husband, whose name was not released, was
born in Trinidad, which is locatedin the Caribbean. He is a permanent US resident and was
purportedly denied the right to legal counsel. When legal counsel arrived, CBP apparently
tried to handcuff Ishmael’s lawyer. http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/reporter-says-her-trinidadian-husband-was-detained-at-fort-lauderale-airport-last-night-9110815
Henry Rousso--A renown French historian traveling to the US from France (a visa-waiver program country) to the US (Houston) in order to attend a symposium at Texas A&M Rousso was born in Egypt and is of Jewish descent. According to Rousso, a policeman took issue with his visa and suspected that he was traveling to the US to “work illegally”.
http://time.com/4685685/henry-rousso-houston-airport/
Celestine Omid--Omid is a Visa holder and software engineer from Nigeria travelling to the US for work related purposes for Andela, a start up backed by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.
http://www.recode.net/2017/2/28/14764064/nigerian-software-engineer-detained-by-us-customs
Hina Shamsi--An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, Shamsi, was detained after flying back from the island nation, Dominica. Shamsi has worked for the ACLU for 10 over 10 years and has traveled in and out of the US for the last 25 years without having any sort of similar experience. Shamsi was born in Pakistan and holds a Pakistani passport.
https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/flying-home-abroad-border-agent-stopped-and-questioned-me-about-my-work-aclu
Sardar Ahmad--Ahmad is a Fulbright scholar and doctor who was born in Afghanistan, had lived in the US and is now a Canadian citizen was detained for five hours at the US-Canadian border before being allowed entry into the US. During this time, he was asked about his “tribal chief”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/01/canada-doctor-sardar-ahmad-us-border-detained
Muhammad Ali, Jr.--Son of the late boxer, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad was born in Philadelphia and is a natural born US citizen. Ali, Jr. reported that he was asked questions in regards to his religion.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/us/muhammad-ali-son-ex-wife-detained-at-airport-don-lemon-cnntv/
Khalilah Camacho-Ali--Ex-wife of the late boxer, Muhammad Ali, Khalilah was detained until she provided a picture of herself with the legendary boxer to prove who she was. Khalilah also stated that she was asked questions about the origins of her name and her religion. Khalilah (nee Belinda) was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Khalilah starred in the film “The China Syndrome” and has appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine 7 times.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/us/muhammad-ali-son-ex-wife-detained-at-airport-don-lemon-cnntv/
Mem Fox--Fox is a well-known Australian-born writer of children’s books, whose book, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, was given to Prince George as Australia’s official gift to the young prince. Fox was on her way to a conference being held in Milwaukee and was detained for 1 hour and 40 minutes in a waiting room with others who had been detained, which she described as “the agony I was surrounded by in that room was like a razor blade across my heart”. She was interrogated for 15 minutes until they realized who she was and let her go.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/28/in-that-moment-i-loathed-america-i-loathed-the-entire-country
Yousef Ajin--Ajin is an Uber driver who has resided legally within the US for 18 years and was held in detention for one month. Ajin was born in Kuwait and immigrated legally to the US from Jordan in 1999. Ajin holds a US green card and is a legal and permanent US resident. He was detained after he visited ICE’s office for his biweekly residency check-in and was detained for two prior convictions dating from 2001 and 2003. Ajin is Muslim.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-immigration-idUSKBN16900X
Henry Rousso--A renown French historian traveling to the US from France (a visa-waiver program country) to the US (Houston) in order to attend a symposium at Texas A&M Rousso was born in Egypt and is of Jewish descent. According to Rousso, a policeman took issue with his visa and suspected that he was traveling to the US to “work illegally”.
http://time.com/4685685/henry-rousso-houston-airport/
Celestine Omid--Omid is a Visa holder and software engineer from Nigeria travelling to the US for work related purposes for Andela, a start up backed by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan.
http://www.recode.net/2017/2/28/14764064/nigerian-software-engineer-detained-by-us-customs
Hina Shamsi--An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer, Shamsi, was detained after flying back from the island nation, Dominica. Shamsi has worked for the ACLU for 10 over 10 years and has traveled in and out of the US for the last 25 years without having any sort of similar experience. Shamsi was born in Pakistan and holds a Pakistani passport.
https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/flying-home-abroad-border-agent-stopped-and-questioned-me-about-my-work-aclu
Sardar Ahmad--Ahmad is a Fulbright scholar and doctor who was born in Afghanistan, had lived in the US and is now a Canadian citizen was detained for five hours at the US-Canadian border before being allowed entry into the US. During this time, he was asked about his “tribal chief”.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/01/canada-doctor-sardar-ahmad-us-border-detained
Muhammad Ali, Jr.--Son of the late boxer, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad was born in Philadelphia and is a natural born US citizen. Ali, Jr. reported that he was asked questions in regards to his religion.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/us/muhammad-ali-son-ex-wife-detained-at-airport-don-lemon-cnntv/
Khalilah Camacho-Ali--Ex-wife of the late boxer, Muhammad Ali, Khalilah was detained until she provided a picture of herself with the legendary boxer to prove who she was. Khalilah also stated that she was asked questions about the origins of her name and her religion. Khalilah (nee Belinda) was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Khalilah starred in the film “The China Syndrome” and has appeared on the cover of Ebony magazine 7 times.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/28/us/muhammad-ali-son-ex-wife-detained-at-airport-don-lemon-cnntv/
Mem Fox--Fox is a well-known Australian-born writer of children’s books, whose book, Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, was given to Prince George as Australia’s official gift to the young prince. Fox was on her way to a conference being held in Milwaukee and was detained for 1 hour and 40 minutes in a waiting room with others who had been detained, which she described as “the agony I was surrounded by in that room was like a razor blade across my heart”. She was interrogated for 15 minutes until they realized who she was and let her go.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/28/in-that-moment-i-loathed-america-i-loathed-the-entire-country
Yousef Ajin--Ajin is an Uber driver who has resided legally within the US for 18 years and was held in detention for one month. Ajin was born in Kuwait and immigrated legally to the US from Jordan in 1999. Ajin holds a US green card and is a legal and permanent US resident. He was detained after he visited ICE’s office for his biweekly residency check-in and was detained for two prior convictions dating from 2001 and 2003. Ajin is Muslim.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-immigration-idUSKBN16900X
Sidd Bikkannavar--Bikkannavar has been an employee for the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and has worked with NASA for 10 years. He was detained after flying into the US
(Houston) from Santiago, Chile. During this time, he was pressured by CBP to
unlock his NASA-issued phone. Bikkannavar
is a natural born US citizen. http://www.theverge.com/2017/2/12/14583124/nasa-sidd-bikkannavar-detained-cbp-phone-search-trump-travel-ban
Juan Garcia Mosqueda--Mosqueda, born in Argentina, has been
a legal US resident for 10 years and owns, Chamber, a NYC gallery in the
Chelsea neighborhood. Mosqueda had flown
to Argentina for a visit and had flown back to JFK airport only to be detained
for 14 hours without access to legal counsel or food and then, escorted to a
plane by armed officers.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/us/gallery-owner-detained-argentina-trnd/
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/01/us/gallery-owner-detained-argentina-trnd/
Unknown 5 year old boy--This unknown little boy from Maryland was handcuffed and detained for hours at Dulles Airport. According to Sean Spicer, he "could've posed a threat". His mother is Iranian.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/white-house-five-year-old-boy-detained-dulles-international-airport-hours-sean-spicer-pose-security-a7554521.html
Daniela Vargas--22 year old DREAMER who arrived in the US from Argentina when she was 7 years old. Daniela had just been speaking at a news conference, discussing the arrest of her father and brother, before she, herself, was arrested. Daniela has no criminal history.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Vargas--Father of Daniela Vargas. Entered US 15 years ago. Worked at a poultry plant.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Vargas--Brother of Daniela Vargas
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Daniel Ramira Medina--23 year old DREAMER from Seattle whose home was raided and was arrested while he was sleeping. Daniel has no criminal history.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Dreamer-still-detained-decision-to-come-next-10987158.php
Bernardo Medina--Medina is a 22 year old US citizen who was born in Montrose, CO. On January 27th, Medina had gone in for sentencing on a DUI conviction and was approached by ICE afterwards, who promptly arrested him even after Medina produced his ID. Medina was detained for several days at an ICE facility before being transferred to a privately owned GEO detention center. It was not until ICE received Medina's US birth certificate that they released Medina but not before threatening him with prosecution about the whole ordeal. Medina was released with a dead cell phone, no phone call to family or friends to arrange a pick up, and $5 in his pocket.
Medina's attorney has filed two lawsuits. The first against ICE is violations of Medina's 4th (unlawful search and seizure) and 5th (due process) rights. The second is against GEO alleging negligence for holding a US citizen in an immigration detention center, false imprisonment, false imprisonment, the intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/ice-agents-illegally-detained-colorado-us-citizen-for-days-because-he-was-hispanic-lawsuit-claims
55 detained in Mississippi in one day--ICE arrested and detained 55 individuals on Feb. 22. Only 11 of them are being charged with felony re-entry.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/34701520/11-out-55-detained-in-february-immigration-raid-charged-with-felony-re-entry
Jesus Vasquez--Vasquez is a 22 year old DREAMER with no criminal record. He was detained after a routine traffic stop in El Paso, TX. Vasquez came to the US when he was just 6 years old with his mother. He is the father of a 4 year old US citizen.
http://www.elpasoproud.com/news/bnhr-dreamer-with-no-criminal-history-detained-during-routine-traffic-stop/667586348
Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos--Guadalupe is a mother of two American born children, who was detained and deported by ICE after showing up for her annual check-in. Guadalupe had a 2008 conviction for using a fake social security number to obtain employment. She was deported back to Mexico within 24 hours of being taken in due to her 2008 conviction, according to ICE.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/us/arizona-garcia-de-rayos-protests/index.html
Family of 5 from Afghanistan--This family of 5, all of whom had Special Immigrant Visas in return for work that their father performed for the US Government in Afghanistan during the war, is being held in isolation without access to legal counsel after flying into LA. The government initially had tried separating the father from his wife and three children but that was blocked by a court order from Santa Ana. Neither his wife or children speak English. Holders of these "Special Immigrant Visas" are required to have both performed services for the US government for one year as well as having to undergo a thorough background check and screening. (Freed after 4 days in detention)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-afghan-idUSKBN16C0XD
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/white-house-five-year-old-boy-detained-dulles-international-airport-hours-sean-spicer-pose-security-a7554521.html
Daniela Vargas--22 year old DREAMER who arrived in the US from Argentina when she was 7 years old. Daniela had just been speaking at a news conference, discussing the arrest of her father and brother, before she, herself, was arrested. Daniela has no criminal history.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Vargas--Father of Daniela Vargas. Entered US 15 years ago. Worked at a poultry plant.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Vargas--Brother of Daniela Vargas
http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/us/daniela-vargas-detained-dreamer-petition/
Daniel Ramira Medina--23 year old DREAMER from Seattle whose home was raided and was arrested while he was sleeping. Daniel has no criminal history.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Dreamer-still-detained-decision-to-come-next-10987158.php
Bernardo Medina--Medina is a 22 year old US citizen who was born in Montrose, CO. On January 27th, Medina had gone in for sentencing on a DUI conviction and was approached by ICE afterwards, who promptly arrested him even after Medina produced his ID. Medina was detained for several days at an ICE facility before being transferred to a privately owned GEO detention center. It was not until ICE received Medina's US birth certificate that they released Medina but not before threatening him with prosecution about the whole ordeal. Medina was released with a dead cell phone, no phone call to family or friends to arrange a pick up, and $5 in his pocket.
Medina's attorney has filed two lawsuits. The first against ICE is violations of Medina's 4th (unlawful search and seizure) and 5th (due process) rights. The second is against GEO alleging negligence for holding a US citizen in an immigration detention center, false imprisonment, false imprisonment, the intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault and battery.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/ice-agents-illegally-detained-colorado-us-citizen-for-days-because-he-was-hispanic-lawsuit-claims
55 detained in Mississippi in one day--ICE arrested and detained 55 individuals on Feb. 22. Only 11 of them are being charged with felony re-entry.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/34701520/11-out-55-detained-in-february-immigration-raid-charged-with-felony-re-entry
Jesus Vasquez--Vasquez is a 22 year old DREAMER with no criminal record. He was detained after a routine traffic stop in El Paso, TX. Vasquez came to the US when he was just 6 years old with his mother. He is the father of a 4 year old US citizen.
http://www.elpasoproud.com/news/bnhr-dreamer-with-no-criminal-history-detained-during-routine-traffic-stop/667586348
Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos--Guadalupe is a mother of two American born children, who was detained and deported by ICE after showing up for her annual check-in. Guadalupe had a 2008 conviction for using a fake social security number to obtain employment. She was deported back to Mexico within 24 hours of being taken in due to her 2008 conviction, according to ICE.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/us/arizona-garcia-de-rayos-protests/index.html
Family of 5 from Afghanistan--This family of 5, all of whom had Special Immigrant Visas in return for work that their father performed for the US Government in Afghanistan during the war, is being held in isolation without access to legal counsel after flying into LA. The government initially had tried separating the father from his wife and three children but that was blocked by a court order from Santa Ana. Neither his wife or children speak English. Holders of these "Special Immigrant Visas" are required to have both performed services for the US government for one year as well as having to undergo a thorough background check and screening. (Freed after 4 days in detention)
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-afghan-idUSKBN16C0XD
No comments:
Post a Comment