Texas Civil Rights Review

Category: Detention

  • About that T. Don Hutto Mis-Direction Media Tour

    Just as we were googling to find what happened at the “invitation only” press pool tour out at the T. Don Hutto prison for immigrant women and children, the motive for the tour was not difficult to find. It kept the press away from this story–gm

    OVER 80 ORGANIZATIONS JOIN IN OPPOSITION TO LEGISLATION DETAINING IMMIGRANT CHILDREN

    Contact: Christopher Spina
    (202) 657-0677
    (202) 674-2450 (mobile)

    April 22, 2008

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a letter to the House of Representatives, over 80 federal, state, and local organizations from across the nation expressed their strong opposition to the Secure America through Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act (H.R. 4088) of 2008, legislation that explicitly calls for the creation of a family detention facility that will result in the “incarceration” of immigrant children. The letter was spearheaded by First Focus, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization.

    The SAVE Act disregards recommendations repeatedly made by Congress that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should “release families or use alternatives to detention…whenever possible.” Instead, the SAVE Act encourages the practice of detaining innocent children who are often caught in the crossfire of U.S. immigration policy, holding them in facilities that resemble prisons instead of nurturing home environments.

    Recently, the Act was subject to a discharge petition, a procedural maneuver which, if a simple majority 218 Representatives sign a petition in support of the bill, shall allow the legislation to bypass the committee process and be placed on the House floor for a vote, despite objections by House leadership. Currently, the petition has over 150 signatures. The Act was introduced by Reps. Heath Shuler (D-NC), Brian Bilbray (R-CA), and Tom Tancredo (R-CO).

    “The outpouring of opposition to this bill should send one message to the House of Representatives – placing children in prison-like settings is not who we are as a nation and we will not sit idly by while legislation that would do so is slipped onto the House floor through procedural maneuvers,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus. “The sad fact is this bill calls for the creation of a detention facility modeled after the controversial T. Don Hutto Family Residential Facility, which has been found to be an ‘inappropriate and disturbing setting’ to hold families. The inappropriate setting and inadequate living conditions of these facilities have led to poor childhood development, education, health care, and nutrition, as well as minimal time for recreational activity and threats of separation from parents. We hope this letter, supported by a broad cross section of organizations from across the nation, will convince many Members of Congress to oppose this ill-advised legislation.”

    The letter has been signed by 32 national organizations, including First Focus, National Council of La Raza, the National Education Association, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and the Episcopal Church. Moreover, over 50 state and local organizations from across the country also signed the letter.

    From CAUSA

  • Email from Riad Hamad: This is Appalling (12/21/06)

    Received Dec. 21, 2006, 9:48 p.m. Here Riad Hamad responds to news that Palestinian families are being held at T. Don Hutto prison in Taylor, Texas. In at least one case, a younger child, who was born American, was placed in foster care.–gm

    Subject: This is appalling

    Marhaba ( hello in Arabic) I just called . . . the attorney in Dallas and will try; to call him in the morning . . . do you know where the children are in foster homes.

    I am very willing, capable and determined to help if you can give me more information about these families and how we can help . . . Looking forward to hearing from you and THANKS for your work for peace and justice in these dark days of humanity led by the evil empire and its emperor George W. Bush.

    Salam/ Peace with justice
    Riad Hamad

  • Email from Riad Hamad: I Will be at Hutto in the Morning (12/23/06)

    After receiving an email from the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the Texas Civil Rights Review sent an email to Riad Hamad asking for details about his “toy drive.” The following email was received at 10:08 p.m., Dec. 23, 2006.–gm

    Marhaba,

    I have no idea about the toy drive . . . just went to the ” residential facility” which is horrendous and they did not let me in since it was after 5. I will be there in the morning with some women friends to visit the Palestinian family and give the mother some cash and phone cards to keep in touch with her son and husband.

    They are not allowing any gifts etc to the “detainees” as I am concerned for the pregnant woman and her husband who is ill with diabetes. No one contacted me and I did not contact anyone regarding this . . if you can call me tomorrow during the day . . I would fill you in . . Mexicans have a country to go to. Africans have countries to go to. Asians have countries that could take them. Palesitnians have NO WHERE TO Go..hence my passion for them. .

    Looking forward to hearing from you and THANKS for your work and support for peace and justice.

    Salamat
    Riad Hamad

  • Recalling the Arrest of Rrustem Neza

    To help call attention to Rrustem Neza’s first full year of imprisonment at the Rolling Plains Prison at Haskell, the Texas Civil Rights Review asked attorney John Wheat Gibson to clarify some details of the original arrest:

    Texas Civil Rights Review: John, what was the exact date of Rrustem’s arrest?

    John Wheat Gibson: Arrested 18 January 2007 by Sheriff; transferred to BICE (US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement) custody 13 February 2007, no charges filed.

    TCRR: What was the method of arrest?

    Gibson: Handcuffed at TACB (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission) office, I think.

    TCRR: What was the date of his transfer to Haskell?

    Gibson: 13 February, 2007.

    TCRR: Could you clarify the legal pretext for the arrest?

    Gibson: TABC accused Rrustem and Xhemal, who own a restaurant in Nacogdoches, of making a false claim to US citizenship, because they both signed an application for liquor license that a Jessica Ismaili prepared for them. Her affidavit is attached [PDF format: 338kb].

    The District Attorney declined to prosecute after learning that they signed without knowing the contents. Rrustem speaks little and reads no English. The US Attorney says Rrustem was not charged, because he was transferred to BICE for deportation; but Xhemal was not charged, either. US Attorneys in this case seem willing to say anything.

    TCRR: How does a beverage application get effectively translated into prison time?

    Gibson: A false statement on the application can be prosecuted as a felony. A conviction could result in prison time. In the case of the Neza brothers, there was no prosecution and therefore no conviction or prison time. The DA realized they did not knowingly make any false statement. Rrustem is not in jail because of any criminal charges. He is like the kids at T. Don Hutto in Taylor, in jail purely for the purpose of deportation, totally unrelated to any fault or improper behavior.

    Note: In the affidavit, Jessica Ismali of Lufkin, Texas describes how she prepared the beverage license for Xhemal and Rrustem Neza. She was the one who checked the citizanship box. “I never asked Xhemal or Rrustem about citizenship. I just assumed. . . . Neither Xhemal nor Rrustem even knew there was a question on the form about citizenship, much less that I had checked the box indicating that they were citizens” [Ismaili Affidavit, PDF format: 338kb]

  • Welcome to Texas All you Presidential Candidates

    By Greg Moses

    And while we’ve got your attention, please see if you can help with any of the suffering that federal actions are causing here.

    In the matters of the Ibrahim family, Rrustem Neza, Ramsey Muniz, and the Suleiman Twins we could use less crackdown and more humanity from the federal face of power. In these four cases, immediate federal relief is possible and therefore necessary.

    What sort of nation provides prisons as solutions to immigration? The T. Don Hutto prison for mothers and children is a mean-spirited sign of the times. We think you should all go there, and we think you should all issue statements that the facility is offensive to your conscience. Agencies created in Washington have not only conjured the prison, but have refused to let UN inspectors onto the premises.

    The Rolling Plains prison of Haskell and the human warehouses of Raymondville are two other examples of the prison state you are funding here. Go smell what you are doing.

    While many of you have been working in Washington, we’ve been worn thin by your contradictory border policies which legalize all manner of movement for commodities and profits while criminalizing migrant workers whose lives have been uprooted. And today, as you speedily enable even faster velocities of trade across the border, your federal agents intensify their maddening contradictions by taking land to build a more people-impervious wall between families and neighbors.

    We can see why it makes sense from a party planning standpoint that Texas issues were scheduled to be addressed at a time in the primary cycle when the races might be winding down. But history is exhibiting its creative talent for truth, and therefore, in order to become President you must first wade right into the policy mess of Texas and tell us how you are going to bring some clarity of mind, some justice, some leadership.

    Before primary election day, here is what you can do: stop the wall, shut down Hutto, and stop hurting the Ibrahim family, Rrustem Neza, the Suleiman twins, and Ramsey Muniz. With these accomplishments on the record, we could be assured that you are competing for something more important than a popularity contest in Texas; you could actually change history.

    Good luck to you all. May justice be the cause of your success.

    Note: Previously posted in the announcements section of the Texas Civil Rights Review.