Author: mopress

In addition to the Ibrahim and Suleiman families, we present below information about seven members of the Hazahza family, who were also abducted in a dawn raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The account is taken from a slightly edited letter of appeal to ICE officials, written on Nov. 27 by Reza Barkhordari of Plano. We have only deleted for the time being the circumstances of the September killing of the family’s 16-year-old son, pending documentation and verification. The family is now represented by Dallas attorney Michelle L. Saenz-Rodriguez.–gm

The following members of a family from Irving, Texas were detained by US Immigration, Dallas Field
Office at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday morning, November 2nd.

1. Nazmieh Juma (Mother)
2. Radi Hazahza (Father)
3. Suzan Hazahza (Daughter, 19)
4. Mirvat Hazahza (Daughter, 23)
5. Mohammad Hazahza (Son, 11)
6. Hisham Hazahza (Son, 23)
7. Ahmad Hazahza (Son, 17)
The father of the family, Radi Hazahza, is originally from Palestine and worked in Jordan and Palestine as a
respected bank manager for many years. The family lived in Jordan for a long time before they moved to
Palestine.

They were initially granted entry into the United States on a visitor’s visa. At the completion of the
visa term they applied for asylum from the US government as their life had been threatened by the existing
violence and various life threats in those territories on multiple occasions.

The case was initially turned down largely for their counsel’s incompetence, and they appealed the case. The appeal was again handled in an unprofessional manner by their next Immigration attorney, who filed their petitions 90 days after the due date–papers which had been already provided to her previously along with the appropriate filling fees. In a formal letter to the INS Court of Appeals, she has officially addressed this issue and admitted to her shortcoming in their case, but the petition for asylum was rejected nevertheless.

Five of the seven family members have been transferred to the Haskell Jail, Immigration Detention Facility at 507 S 2nd St., Haskell, TX 79521.

The mother, Nazmieh Juma, and her 11-year-old son are being detained at the T. Don Hutto jail in Taylor, TX.

It breaks our hearts to see that such a hard-working family which is only trying to seek peace here in our
country is facing more difficulties than they have ever before when they fled here to escape this kind of
intimidation and violence in their own homeland.

Just like everyone else, they were also trying to integrate into the society with respect and dignity and to take advantage of the opportunities that our country has to offer for a better living standard. I wish we could do more to display our hospitality to those who are running away from the evils of their worlds and are seeking refuge in us.

Please do note the following facts and conditions with regards to the family concerning their case:

1. The family is currently undergoing extreme emotional difficulties due to the loss of their loved one.
The parents are still grieving the loss of their 16-year-old son (who was killed in September) and visit the cemetery at least once a week as a form of emotional release. I assume anyone with family could relate to the unbearable pain associated with this kind of tragedy.

2. The younger daughter, Suzan Hazahza, also engaged to a US citizen (the author of this account, Reza Barkhordari) for over a year now was also detained with the rest of the family. She was forced to temporarily withdraw from attending Northlake College to care for her mother after the family tragedy due to her mother’s emotional instability. Suzan is a daughter that most of us Americans would dream of having with a fully clean and clear criminal record. She does not even have a traffic violation.

3. The older daughter, Mirvat Hazahza, is officially and legally married to a US citizen as of two
months ago. She is a perfect model citizen with a clean criminal history, getting through college as
an honor student while making great financial contributions to her family and taking care of them.
The worst thing on her record maybe a traffic ticket, if any.

4. The mother, Nazmieh Juma, is on anti-depressant medication due to the high levels of stress and
extreme depression she is experiencing for the loss of her son. She is not mentally prepared to
undergo this type of additional mental stress. We are very concerned about her health, as it is very
important that she stays on schedule with respect to her prescriptions. She is not properly eating due to her depression and her dietary needs. Since she does not respond well to processed and prepared foods, she is basically living on lettuce, which is a cause of real worry for us.

5. Radi Hazahza, the father, is 60 and in a very bad mental condition fearing the life of his family
members if deported back to Palestine.

6. Ahmad Hazahza is a high-school student at McArthur High School in Irving, which he has been
unable to attend. As a juvenile in the adult jail at Haskell, he is being held in solitary confinement, which is causing him to be depressed. As a result of his extreme distress, he urinated blood for ten days prior to being attended by a physician.

[Note: the following information is found posted in a press release from ICE about the November roundup of “21 criminal aliens” in “Operation Return to Sender”: Ahmed Hazahza, 18 (editor’s note: Ahmad was 17 years old at the time of his arrest and incarceration by ICE), Palestinian, born in Jordan, was arrested in Irving, Texas on Nov. 02 on an outstanding order for deportation. Hazahza was convicted as an adult for three burglaries for which he received a 10-year probated sentence.]

7. Mohammad Hazahza was attending Sam Houston Middle School in Irving until detained by
Immigration.

The Immigration Deportation Officer in charge of their case is Mr. Calvin Meredith in the Dallas Field Office, Tel: (214) 905-5880.

This family has been through so much hardship that would not be bearable by most. In my heart of hearts I
know that they deserve much better than being detained under such conditions and being treated as
criminals.

Your kind and urgent attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
Kind regards,

Reza Barkhordari
Plano, TX

[Note: yes, we’ve already contacted our Congress Rep, have you?–gm]

Email from rita Zawaideh, Dec. 30, 2006

Start the New Year off Right, Please Help Save a Family

The Arab American Community Coalition (theaacc.org) has just learned of an entire Palestinian family – the Ibrahims – being held in jail in Texas while waiting an unjustified deportation. The Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) grabbed the family of five in a Gestapo-like raid on November 3, 2006.

The Ibrahims came to the United States legally and applied for asylum. They have been honest and forthright with immigration from the beginning. They were denied asylum and have filed to reopen their asylum case. In the meantime, the family is to be deported and is being held in jail! As an American citizen, the 2-year-old daughter was ripped from her mother’s arms and is in a foster home.
The plot thickens:

To make matters worse, as Palestinian refugees from the Occupied Palestinian Territories they have no travel documents. The US government has
attempted to obtain Jordanian passports for the family but the applications were denied. The family will have to languish another month in jail while ICE contacts the Israeli embassy. Even though Israel has no jurisdiction to issue travel documents to Palestinians to the Occupied Palestinian Territories , ICE insists on contacting Israel . In the past, Israel has issued illegal documents with ICE flying deportees into Tel Aviv and
the deportees marched across the border to the West Bank in Palestine . It is extremely dangerous for Palestinians to enter Palestine with Israeli travel
documents. The family would be marked with suspicion.

The family in jail:

The pregnant mother, Hanan Ahmad, is in one cell with her 5-year-old daughter, Fatem. The 7- and 12-year-old sisters – Maryam and Rodaina – share
another cell. The 15-year-old boy, Hamzeh, is in yet another cell at T. Don Hutto jail. The father and husband, Salaheddin Ibrahim, is being held in
another jail in Haskell , Texas . Born in the US , the youngest daughter, only 2-years-old, is living with strangers in a foster home.

The little 5-year-old girl, Faten, is constantly getting in trouble with the guards for not standing still during population counts, which are taken four times daily. Maryam, the 7-year-old cries for her mother at night.
Maryam, Rodaina and Hamzeh have missed nearly two months of school. The children miss their father, their baby sister, other family members and friends. The pregnant mother feels sick, tired and overwhelmed. The family is separated and scared not knowing what the future holds.

Not only is this a waste of our tax dollars ($95 per person per day), it is inhumane and unjust!

What can you do?

Please contact ICE Field Office Director, Marc Jeffery Moore, @ 210-967-7175 and ask him to release the family on house arrest. You can also contact U.S. Department of Homeland Security @ Operator Number: 202-282-8000 or Comment Line: 202-282-8495

If you live in Texas , please contact your Senators and State Representative and ask him or her to intercede in this tragic story.

Click on the link below to find out who represents you in the Congress.

http://www.congressmerge.com/onlinedb/index.htm

You can either right your own letter or use sample letters attched to this email [pasted below].

Donate money.

Legal fees to save the Ibrahim family will be costly. Please send checks payable to:

“Arab American Community Coalition” Legal Defense – Ibrahim Family

to:

P.O. Box 31642 , Seattle , WA 98103 .

All donations are tax-deductible with 100% of your donation going to the Ibrahim Family. Please don’t forget to check if your organization has a matching program.

For more information:

please contact info@theaacc.org.

Also you can check the links below;

http://www.counterpunch.org/moses12282006.html

Video showing the family on local news
http://www.nbc5i.com/video/10471070/index.html

Thank you,

The Arab American Community Coalition

Sample Letter/Email

January 2007

Congressman Sam Johnson
2929 North Central Expressway, Suite 240
Richardson, TX 75080
http://www.house.gov/formsamjohnson/IMA/issue.htm

Congressman Sam Johnson,

I am urging you to take action in stopping the removal proceedings against the Salaheddin Ibrahim family and join in their petition for asylum. If the family is to be deported, I am urging you to take action in releasing the Hanan Ahmad and Salaheddin Ibrahim family of Dallas, Texas from the T. Don Hutto jail during their deportation proceedings.

The Ibrahim family, which includes Hanan Ahmad, Salaheddin Ibrahim, their 15-year-old son, Hamzeh, and their 12-, 7- and 5-year-old daughters – Rodaina, Maryam, and Fatem, is being held at the T. Don Hutto jail in Taylor, Texas while they await deportation. As a U.S. citizen, the youngest daughter of just 2-years is separated from her family and living with strangers in a foster home. Not only are the children suffering, frightened and missing their baby sister, Hanan is pregnant and feeling ill.

The family has committed no crime, are not deemed a threat to the United States or are a flight risk. The three eldest children were enrolled and attending school until their arrest November 3, 2006. The Ibrahim family has been honest and forthright with Immigration communicating with them throughout the five years that they have lived in this country.

Thank you for your support of the Ibrahim family’s humanitarian cause and in stopping their deportation from the United States and their release from jail.

Your Name
Your Full Mailing Address

cc: Senator John Cornyn
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

On the occasion of Sunday, New Year’s Eve, Eid ul-Adha, 2006

By Greg Moses

“21 criminal aliens, fugitive aliens, and other immigration status violators” is how the Dallas office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) counted booty in a web-posted press release last Nov. 3 following two days of arrests.

Two months later, three families from that pre-election roundup remain in jail, of whom only one person—a teenaged boy—stands convicted of crimes, and that 17-year-old young man sits alone, pissing blood, in isolation from his parents and four siblings, because he is being held as a minor in an adult jail at Haskell, Texas.

For all the rest of the members of the three families, none, as it turns out, has been identified as either criminal or fugitive. They were only a handful of “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” coming to America with passports and visas, working with attorneys to secure asylum through legal means, going to work, to school, and in some cases getting married or pregnant, trying to live and make life in ways we all know.
But they were all Arab, and it was election time in the USA. Never mind that seven of them were school children, or that one of them was a newlywed bride, recently graduated from college with honors, or that another was pursuing college on and off, planning to be married, or that the six parents worked hard and kept their families close. They were Arab, after all, and it was election time.

I still get emails from people telling me “we should send them all back”, and these are emails from precisely the kinds of voters that such a roundup was meant, and is still meant, to appease. Thirteen percent of Americans think Bush is a hero. And with these three Arab families, the President repays his loyalists for the way they stick.

But I also get emails from others, many more others, who say, “my God, what can I do to help.” And these are the majority of voters, to be sure, thank goodness. And for most of the voters, these three families–Ibrahim, Suleiman, and Hazahza–are just the kind of people that neighbors are made of in America. They try, they fail, they try again, they succeed. Family troubles come, and to some families they come hard. But we know them, if we know any neighborhood at all.

One of the email supporters, Rita Zawaideh, has mobilized the Arab American Community Coalition, and a call to action has been circulated to free the Ibrahim family, whose toddler daughter needs them out of jail now and back home.

Really, it’s the simplest thing. Free the Ibrahim family. Free the pregnant mother so that she can take proper care of herself and her coming son. Free the kindergarten daughter who shares a bunkbed with her mother. Free the two sisters who share another cell nearby. Free the teenage boy who calls his uncle every day from the T. Don Hutto jail in Taylor, Texas. And free the father, too, who is kept 300 miles away, at Haskell.

That’s it. Free the Ibrahim family today. It can be done very quickly by anyone along the chain of command from the White House to San Antonio ICE. And if you’re listening, Mr. President, you can do it with the stroke of a pen. Those voters who would make a fortress of America? You’ll never have need for them again. But your conscience is something you really can’t leave behind.

The New Year is a traditional time for politicians to set people free. Let the Ibrahims go back to their neighborhood in Texas, where they can gather themselves as a family and get some rest, together.

[Note: recommended listening: Lyle Lovett, “That’s right, you’re not from Texas, but Texas wants you, anyway!”–gm]

Hola y’all…

This is about a historical 5000 mile journey that begins in three weeks. We wanted you to have a heads up.

You are being sent this e-mail because you are (1) opposed to the border wall, (2) if you are interested in putting and end to incarcerating women and children in prison camps on American soil…(3) if you’re interested in preventing the death toll that is as a result of failed immigration policies in this country…(4) some of, or (5) all of the above.

The Attached is the schedule for Marcha Migrante II-Border Caravan which will focus on (5)…“all the above”.

Link to Jan. 12 version of schedule

One of the features of the Marcha Migrante II is that the Border Caravan will not only go from San Diego, CA all the way to Brownsville, TX…it will also swing up to Taylor, Texas…where 400-600 women and mostly children are imprisoned behind razor wire walls, in prison uniforms and are kept in cells for 22 hours a day.

Taylor is just 35 miles northeast of the Texas Capitol city of Austin . There we will hold a third vigil at the Hutto prison camp. By doing this we will be able to show our unrelenting opposition to the imprisoning of helpless women and innocent children in FOR PROFIT prison camps.
I am providing you with a video link of the Christmas Eve Vigil that was conducted this past December 24 at the Hutto prison camp in Taylor , TX and sponsored by my Flamenco artist friends, Teye & Belen, and me. This video clip is provided the young documentary film maker, Jesse Salmeron. www.jessesalmeron.com

This schedule remains a work in progress. As we progress, more precise details, such as departure and arrival times and locations, will be easier to determine and we will therefore post them.

We obviously need to have some flexibility on this 5000 mile journey. We hope to have a website available to track our progress. When we do, we’ll notify you. (As always…if you prefer to not receive this information…we will accommodate your wishes.)
and we will therefore post them.

If you or an association that you are affiliated with would like to provide food, lodging…or would simply like to show solidarity with us in any way, please contact us. Please feel free to share and forward this to your friends, families, organizations, political and religious representatives and those that you know in the media.
and we will therefore post them.

Most especially…if you are able to arrange it…please join us…anywhere along the way…
and we will therefore post them.

Hasta entonces…

Jay

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Border Ambassador

Connecting the Dots…Making a Difference

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jay J. Johnson-Castro, Sr.

Del Rio, Texas

Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila , Mexico