Protest DHS Decision to Deport Ansar Mahmood

Next Tuesday, July 13 starting at 8 p.m. a peaceful Vigil will begin in

front of the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, NY

2. TUE 7/13 Vigil at Batavia: Protest DHS Decision to Deport Ansar Mahmood

Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2004 00:33:21 -0400

From: susan davies

PROTEST BICE/DHS DECISION TO DEPORT ANSAR MAHMOOD

Next Tuesday, July 13 starting at 8 p.m. a peaceful Vigil will begin in

front of the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, NY to protest

BICE/DHS’s decision to refuse Ansar Mahmood’s request for deferred action.

We invite everyone who can make it to come out to Batavia to protest against

this injustice. The vigil will continue throughout the night and the

following days.

Rajesh Barnabas of Rochester and Rev. Richard Rose of Batavia are the

central organizers for this protest. You can check our website www.chathampeace.org for updates on arrangements for the event. If you are

coming from the Columbia County or Albany/Capital District area, please call me (Susan) at 518-392-9477 so we can coordinate times and transportation.

This case is being watched throughout the world. Over the last week, since

Mr. Cleary’s letter of refusal became public, the story has been publicized all over the US, Asia and the Middle East. Now it is important for us to make clear that we as Americans object to our government’s harsh and unfair treatment of immigrants in this country. In his letter, Mr. Cleary stated more than once that Ansar Mahmood is in no way connected to terrorism and yet then went on to say that he “posed a serious threat to national security.” This contradiction is a clear example of the way in which our government is using the pervasive national fear of terrorism to target immigrants. About three quarters of the detainees in the Batavia Facility are there with deported charges. None of them is “a serious threat tonational security.”

We are making two demands: 1. Tom Ridge of the Department of Homeland

Security should reverse William Cleary’s decision and allow Ansar Mahmood to

return to Columbia County, NY

2. Our government on all levels must change its harsh immigration policies which have resulted in well over a million deportations over the last seven years causing untold physical and financial hardship and heartache for families, individuals and communities all over this country and the world.