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| Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Centers |
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| jannah |
| 01/10/03 at 00:15:21 |
| Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Centers Thu December 19, 2002 06:02 PM ET By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hundreds of Muslim men and boys are being subjected to strip searches in freezing, standing room only detention centers in southern California after being arrested for routine visa irregularities, immigration lawyers said on Thursday. They estimated that between 1,000 and 2,500 males, some as young as 16, were spending their fourth day locked up in what they called inhumane conditions after voluntarily presenting themselves at immigration offices to register under new anti-terrorism rules. "The situation in the detention centers is absolutely horrifying. In one center, they were ordered to strip down and given a strip search. They were only given a prison jumpsuit, without any underwear, T-shirts, socks or shoes. They were not given blankets. They are freezing," Iranian-American lawyer Sohelia Jonoubi told Reuters. Justice Department officials in Washington, breaking an almost week-long silence on the arrests, said 227 people had been detained in California for overstaying their visas under a post-Sept. 11 program that requires men over 16, without permanent residence status, from 20 Arab or Muslim countries to register with authorities. But the official figures differed widely from anecdotal evidence from families in the Los Angeles area who reported that scores of husbands, brothers and fathers had spent most of this week locked up and treated like criminals. "These people are being held in inhumane conditions...We don't know how many. We have estimated anywhere between 1,000 to 2,500 detained in southern California. The INS in Los Angeles is overworked, overwhelmed and doing everything they can (but) these people were not prepared to handle it," Iranian-American Lawyers Association spokesman Kayhan Shakib told Reuters. A TRAP? Most of those detained were Iranians living in Los Angeles County and neighboring Orange County, which in the past 20 years have become home to some 600,000 Iranian exiles. Lawyers battling to get the men released on bail said many were law-abiding immigrants who were in the process of getting U.S. green cards under a lengthy and complex INS procedure. "These people came to the INS centers voluntarily. They are not flight risks. They were led to believe it was routine registration and now this is the biggest trap I have ever seen," Jonoubi said. Some 3,000 people staged a peaceful protest in Los Angeles on Wednesday as hundreds more waited for hours to get their relatives released on bail from overwhelmed INS officials. Some protesters carried banners reading: "What's Next? Concentration camps?" Community lawyers have been refused access to the detainees who they say are being shuttled round various detention centers in prison buses, shackled and in handcuffs, as the system creaks under the strain. Families, allowed telephone access to their relatives, reported that the men were forced to sleep standing up, or on concrete floors with no blankets, and some had been hosed down with cold water. Drinking water is said to be scarce and in some cases, detainees must use toilets without doors or walls. The relatives said that some detainees have been told they will be deported without seeing their relatives again. Others are trying to get out on bail pending a hearing before an immigration judge which could take days or weeks. BASIC NEEDS INS spokesman Francisco Arcaute said he was confident the INS could deal with the situation, adding; "They have access to telephones, they have access to restrooms, they are given snacks. We understand there has been a bit of crowding, but my understanding is that we are meeting basic needs." The southern California chapter of the ACLU said the detentions were "reminiscent of what happened in the past with Japanese-Americans" during World War II. Shakib told Reuters that after talks with the INS, officials had promised to try to process the detainees more speedily and get more of them out on bail. He said only 20 or 30 had been bailed out as of Wednesday. The Justice Department insisted about 100 people were still being held. Activists said they expected more demonstrations in coming days. "The Iranian community is not going to sit and not respond to this outrage," said Jonoubi, a Los Angeles resident for 15 years and now a U.S. citizen. "I cannot believe that I lived to see the day that such human rights violations occur in the United States of America in the 21st century." |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| ltcorpest2 |
| 01/10/03 at 02:04:10 |
| not to make light of the subject , but freezing in southern california? It has been between 70 and 85 for the last 2 weeks. and it has not snowed here in the last 50 years |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| jannah |
| 01/10/03 at 02:09:58 |
| I'm sorry have you ever been in a cement basement jail cell at 4am after being hosed down with cold water? |
| 01/10/03 at 02:25:41 |
| jannah |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| Halima |
| 01/10/03 at 06:16:02 |
| It is amazing how Itcorpest2 makes light of inhumane treatment and conditions! You do not have to be a rocket sciencetist to figure out what freezing conditions the article refers to. The word dentetion alone implies a multitude of tortures. Common on Itcorpest2, don't just write for the sake of writing!!! |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| Taalibatul_ilm |
| 01/10/03 at 07:55:39 |
| Don't forget, Big Bear mountain is considered to be in Southern California. It is a famous ski mountain, and I was there skiing less than 50 years ago. The normal minimum temperature in Los Angeles for this time of the year is 48 degrees. I think almost anyone would feel "freezing" without a coat on at that temperature. I would want a coat or a jacket at the high of 53 degrees, so there is nothing inaccurate in the reporting. I'm sure you know that saying "I'm freezing" does not mean that the temperature is below freezing. [table][tr][td]Conditions Updated: 4:50 AM PST on January 10, 2003 Observed at Los Angeles, California Temperature 53 °F / 12 °C Humidity 100% Dew Point 53 °F / 12 °C Wind ESE at 6 mph / 9.7 km/h Wind Gust - Pressure 30.10 in / 1019 hPa (Steady) Conditions Mist Visibility 2 miles / 4 kilometers Clouds Overcast (OVC) : 300 ft / 93 m Max Temperature Normal: 68°F Record: 87°F (1986) Min Temperature Normal: 48°F Record: 31°F (1888) Yesterday's Maximum 63 °F / 17 °C approx. Yesterday's Minimum 54 °F / 12 °C approx. Yesterday's Heating Degree Days 7 approx. [/td][/tr][/table] |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| bhaloo |
| 01/10/03 at 09:45:00 |
| [slm] I agree with Jannah and Halima. Conditions in a detention center would be different and its inhumane treatment As for southern california weather, Talib your numbers are not relevant. Over the last 2 weeks the weather has been strange here, in fact the weather has been between 60 and 80 degrees (maybe it was higher then 80, it sure felt like it), only in the last 2 days did it start to get cold and dip into the 50s (at night). And I don't know why you brought up Big Bear, its completely irrelevant? ??? That is a ski resort that is in the mountains and a place LA people go to visit to see snow (a very foreign concept for us southern californians, ive yet to see it and have lived here my whole life). 3 or 4 days ago we had winds of 50 to 70 mph (its called the santa ana winds, they last a few days and then go away). |
| 01/10/03 at 09:49:53 |
| bhaloo |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| ltcorpest2 |
| 01/10/03 at 20:02:13 |
| Posted by: jannah Posted on: Today at 2:09am I'm sorry have you ever been in a cement basement jail cell at 4am after being hosed down with cold water? Do I have to tell all here? Yes I have. Before I became a Christian I had the opportunity to spend a weekend in "county". It is the facility in downtwon Los Angeles. They hose you down but it was during the day (we were arrested at night but they put you in a holding cell until they process you) when they have the manpower to do it. The detetention is terrible and I would not wish that on anybody. But clearly the author is painting a picture, but it one that should be a correct picture. Read the 1st line of the article it says they are in freezing, standing room only. Well, if you are from southern california that statement sticks out like a sore thumb. If there was an article about a detention center in Albany and it said the detainees where made to sit in overcrowded sweltering conditions with no airconditioning, you would be thinking the same thing I am. Posted by: Halima Posted on: Today at 6:16am It is amazing how Itcorpest2 makes light of inhumane treatment and conditions! You do not have to be a rocket sciencetist to figure out what freezing conditions the article refers to. The word dentetion alone implies a multitude of tortures. Common on Itcorpest2, don't just write for the sake of writing!!! I am sorry, but I missed the part in the article that mentioned torture. Since I have been in detention it does necessarily imply torture to me unless you are thinking of some other countries. And if i haden't mentioned it earlier, I did not mean to make light of their situation, for these immigrants to be treated like this is truly saddening. and you can call mike |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| sofia |
| 01/12/03 at 21:06:10 |
| As-salaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah, SubhanAllah, take advantage of your situation, people, and make du'aa. By the way, I just spoke with sister N from Albany, who's working with CAIR in NY, and is seeing a lot of these INS problems first hand. Troubling, to say the least, although the situation there is not yet of Cali proportions. [And poor Mike. That was one of my initial responses, too. I'm not sure too many people could describe S. Cali as "freezing," but with a bit more info on the details, the temperature issue isn't really the worst of it, unfortunately.] The Prophet (s) advised: "Take advantage of five before five: Your youth before old age, your health before illness, your wealth before poverty, your free time before you become occupied, and your life before your death.” (Ahmad) |
| NS |
| Re: Calif. Muslims Detained in Crowded, Cold Cente |
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| jannah |
| 01/13/03 at 07:05:46 |
| [quote]Before I became a Christian[/quote] Interesting what were you before?? |
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