Posted on 08/27/2006 4:59:42 PM PDT by tobyprissy
2 Lodi residents refused entry back into U.S.
Demian Bulwa, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Jaber Ismail, 18, (right) is seen with his younger brothe...
* Printable Version * Email This Article
(08-26) 04:00 PDT Sacramento -- The federal government has barred two relatives of a Lodi man convicted of supporting terrorists from returning to the country after a lengthy stay in Pakistan, placing the U.S. citizens in an extraordinary legal limbo.
Muhammad Ismail, a 45-year-old naturalized citizen born in Pakistan, and his 18-year-old son, Jaber Ismail, who was born in the United States, have not been charged with a crime. However, they are the uncle and cousin of Hamid Hayat, a 23-year-old Lodi cherry packer who was convicted in April of supporting terrorists by attending a Pakistani training camp.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
"Since I don't know anyone who refuses to answer questions when returning from overseas, I'm not sure what right they have to re-enter (in this case)."
Uh, these guys are being forced to answer questions by the FBI, not the INS. I'll bet you also don't know anyone who was told to submit to interrogation from the FBI when returning from overseas. I doubt that the INS has blanket authority to question CITIZEN returnees on every subject under the sun, on pain of being refused admission if they do not answer.
And they are being forced to do it in a country where their rights are less than if they were in the United States - we know that the Fourth Amendment is not effective, possibly the Fifth is also not effective? Why doesn't the FBI wait to readmit them to the United States and then question them?
For one thing, I do not spend my vacations at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan.
For another thing, my son WAS held up at the border for several hours because his (non-U.S.-national) wife's visa was expired.
Eventually they were allowed into the country because they have no terrorist connections.
THANK YOU.
That's the whole point. They can come here, but not directly on an airplane. But their behavior certainly makes me wish they'd stay in some other country (the further, the better).
9-11 happened.....all bets are off......go cry elsewhere....
"9-11 happened.....all bets are off......go cry elsewhere...."
Be easy (somewhat) on the guy. His slippery slope fear is well justified in many areas. He's still on our side, so it's best to bring these guys around. I get the "deal with it" response when I complain about our Texas Governor Rick Perry giving foreign companies effective control over our highway system (I'm told that I'm a socialist for not supporting it).
So I'm a bit sensitive here.
Why would they pick on me?
If an FBI guy wanted to interrogate you, say, just for practice, he could have you committing a Federal Offense - lying to an FBI agent -- in about five minutes. It is the simplest thing in the world. It would make absolutely no different who you were, or what you were, or how you had lived your life.
First he would make you nervous, if you were not already nervous. Then he would make you confused, then when you made a verbal slip, he would work you over on it, till you answered SOME question two different ways. Or he would go back and question you on some obscure point you made earlier, hoping you would answer it somewhat differently. Obviously, one of the ways would have to be false. Presto - you've lied to a Federal Officer, and it's off to jail you go.
Take, for example, your statement ""I do not spend my vacations at a terrorist training camp in Pakistan"
He might ask so, the training camp was in Afghanistan, then? Or are you saying you were not on "vacation". How DID you get the time to attend that terrorist camp, then? See, he could take that statement and show how it's consistent with an admission that you are a terrorist. Pretty nasty, huh? Not the least bit sporting. That's why the FBI wants to make sure you talk without a lawyer present. Because you will wind up admitting whatever words they want to put in your mouth.
I, too, have been held up at the border, because my wife [not yet a permanent resident or citizen at that point] needed to have her fully valid and regularly issued "advance parole" document further processed, which is normal procedure, but I was not aware that the further processing would be necessary. The processing took about 20 minutes, which was enough to cause us to miss our connection. Unlike your son and his wife, our papers were completely in order, but we were held up anyway.
This occurred in Toronto, which is where you clear immigration on flights coming in from Canada, and caused us to miss our connection, and have to spend the night in Toronto. I was kind of steamed, which made my interchange with the immigration official a bit testy at first, particulary when I started writing down names, because I did not know what other suprises might be in store for us, and I wanted a record of what happened.
At the end of the interview, when our paperwork was signed off, and I had calmed down, the officer asked me if I had any complaints. He asked this question three times, in three different ways. The reason, of course, is that we were being videotaped and audiotaped, and he was covering his posterior in case I complained later.
Lodi is a known hotbed of Islamic jihad advocates. You think they should just be let in? Amazing.
"sending them home"
Uh, what the government is doing is PREVENTING them from coming home. They are citizens. The United States is their home. Unless they have done something to lose their citizenship, which difficult, albeit not impossible, to do. But that requires some due process.
Now, if as some suggest, they can fly to Canada, and come in by land, it's fine with me if the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, the American Legion, Captain Jack, Billy, and the 101st Field Artillery Band are waiting to receive them, and have a chat about what they've been up to.
That sounds reasonable, and replace "send them home" with "send them back". I'm just somewhat worked up about this.
Hey now. A Pakistani training camp is kinda like a dude ranch for these people. Just 'cause you went to a dude ranch doesn't make you a cowboy. (/dripping sarcasm)
As I live and breathe!!!! You mean we're actually doing something right for a change???? Pinch me.
REAL Americans would not make trips to that part of the world, I don't care what the reason is!
Oh get off your high horse! It's about time the borders were as tight here as they have ALWAYS been in other countries. I had to HAND OVER my passport in Germany, years ago, and had no idea where they were taking it, or if I'd ever get it back. They don't mess around in other countries and it's time we stopped being such dim bulbs.
"In America they are the dhimmis and should be made aware of it!"
Reverse dhimmination?
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.