Support detainees Ansar Mahmood, Pakistani immigrant currently
held in Batavia, NY, and Salim Yassir, a Palestinian who has been held in
the Elizabeth Detention Center in NJ for four years.
We are asking you to take a few minutes on Monday, July 26, 2004, to
remember Farouk by making phone calls or faxing letters in support of two
other immigration detainees: Pakistani immigrant Ansar Mahmood, currently
held in Batavia, NY, and Salim Yassir, a Palestinian who has been held in
the Elizabeth Detention Center in NJ for four years.
We’ve included a sample letter about Salim Yassir. Thanks for your continued
support.
1) For Ansar Mahmood:
Call the office of Department of Homeland Security head Tom Ridge at
202-282-8000 and ask him not to deport Ansar Mahmood.
Ansar was a legal resident in the Hudson Valley area arrested soon after
9/11 because he wanted a photo of local scenery to send back to family in
Pakistan; the scenery included a reservoir. After establishing that Ansar
was not in fact a terrorist, the government used minor violations under
rarely enforced immigration laws as a pretext for ordering Ansar’s
deportation. His supporters, along with a number of members of Congress,
have asked Homeland Security to grant Ansar deferred action status, which
would permit him to stay in the US and return to his job as a pizza delivery
person.
In addition, contact your senator and/or representative and ask them to put
pressure on Mr. Ridge to stop Ansar’s deportation. (Call 1-800-839-5276).
For more information: Bob Elmendorf, 518-766-2992,
poetapoetus@earthlink.net, http://www.chathampeace.org
2) For Salim Yassir:
Fax: John Tsoukaris, United States Department of Homeland Security
US-ICE Headquarters Post-Order Detention Unit, fax # 202-353-9435
Ask him to release Salim Yassir (A78 820 978) since there is no possibility
of his removal from the US. Both Israel and the PLO have confirmed in
writing that, pursuant to the Oslo Accords, Salim is ineligible for
repatriation into the territories or Israel proper. He has two sponsors who
will provide him with housing, job training/assistance and food and will
take responsibility to ensure that he obeys any terms of supervised release.
For more information: contact Teresa Woods, Catholic Legal Immigration
Network, Inc, 973-733-3516 X208, clinicteresa@aol.com or Joshua Bardavid,
Law Office of Theodore N. Cox, 212-925-1208, JEB7006@aol.com
***
SAMPLE LETTER:
John Tsoukaris
United States Department of Homeland Security
US-ICE Headquarters Post-Order Detention Unit
801 I Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20536
Fax # 202-353-9435
RE: YASSIR, Salim, A78 820 978
Dear Mr. Tsoukaris:
I am writing on behalf of Mr. Salim Yassir who has been detained for four
years at the Elizabeth Detention Center in New Jersey. I strongly believe
that Mr. Yassir should be released immediately from the detention center,
into the care and supervision of his sponsors.
Mr. Yassir has been awaiting deportation since his arrival in the United
States in 2000, yet there is no possibility of removal since both Israel and
the PLO have confirmed in writing that, pursuant to the Oslo Accords, Mr.
Yassir is ineligible for repatriation into the territories or Israel proper.
Mr. Yassir is a non-criminal, non-violent detainee who has maintained an
impeccable record of behavior while in detention. He has also provided the
government with two sponsors who will provide him with housing, job
training/assistance, and food. In addition, these sponsors have stated that
they will take responsibility to ensure that Mr. Yassir obeys any terms of
supervised release.
Mr. Yassir’s continued detention costs taxpayers $155.00 per day, as
estimated by the government. His detention is a waste of taxpayer money,
particularly since Mr. Yassir presents no danger to society and has provided
suitable alternatives to detention, through his sponsors.
Finally, Mr. Yassir has been detained for four years in a facility that was
intended for short-term detentions. There are no outdoor areas, so Mr.
Yassir has not seen the light of day since 2000.
Please release Mr. Salim Yassir from the Elizabeth Detention Center.
Sincerely,
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Committee for the Release of Farouk Abdel-Muhti
PO Box 20587, Tompkins Square Station, New York, NY 10009
Phone: 212-674-9499 * Email freefarouk@yahoo.com
Websites: www.freefarouk.org * freefarouk.netfirms.com
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