February 12, 2012 · www.gothamgazette.com |
![]() |
Loading
|
Internet resources for what you need to know about NYC Immigrants Five Favorite Sites For Beginners
By Chaleampon Ritthichai Local Police And Immigration Law A typical day at work for Bobby Khan at the Coney Island Avenue Project involves listening to stories about immigrants who have been harassed, arrested or detained. "Last week in Midwood, Brooklyn, a guy named Malik Muhamad was stopped by police officers while walking back from work," Khan said. " They asked him about his immigration status but he refused to answer. So they beat him." Stories such as this have led Khan to believe that tension between police and immigrants in New York City is at its worst. A local police officer can now ask immigrants about their status and in effect deport them on a visa violation. As part of the war on terror, this past August for the first time the federal government allowed local police to enforce immigration law. "There is greater racial profiling today, and it goes beyond just the Black and Latino communities to include Muslims, Arabs and South Asians and other immigrants." said Steven Yip, a member of October 22nd Coalition. "Since September 11, the police are more bold." Because of strong criticism from immigrant communities, The New York City Pol ice Department issued a statement saying that "The NYPD works cooperatively with the INS and other federal agencies to locate and apprehend criminal aliens.... However, the NYPD does not and will not enforce civil violations of immigration laws." But immigrant advocates said that this is not actually the case. "They have asked people about immigration status, for no particular reason," said Saurav Sarkar of Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, an organization that represents some detainees, The U.S. government has interviewed and detained thousands of Arab and South Asian immigrants since 9/11. None have been charged with crimes related to the attack, but are being held indefinitely as material witnesses. According to a report by the Daily News, last December the police department participated in interviews with 86 visa holders from the Middle East and South Asia. "As a result of these interviews, they have been incarcerated, many of them without access to legal counsel," said Abdeen Jabarra of the Center for Constitutional Rights So far Mayor Michael Bloomberg has not expressed his position on using the local police force as an extension of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. But an executive order in place since the Koch administration forbids the police department from checking immigration status of crime victims, people seeking assistance, or those coming forward as witnesses. Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Sayu Bhojwani has said that the Bloomberg administration is exploring ways to keep that order in place without interfering with the federal law. In the City Council Queens Councilmember Hiram Monerrate introduced last May a resolution with a similar goal, but nothing further has been done since. While public officials were figuring out what to do, immigrant groups took to the streets. In October, more than a dozen immigrant groups marched from Union Square to City Hall to protest racial profiling by the police. The protest was repeated in November. "If you ask the Arabs, Muslims and South Asians in this city what's the difference between the NYPD, the FBI and the INS," Refat Doza of Desis Rising Up & Moving, said to the crowd. "They'll tell you, nothing. They're all the same."
Five Favorite Sites For Beginners:
Other Recommendations:
National:
Local, general:
Local, specific:
Visit the Topic Archives!
![]()
![]() |