The peaceful and respectful assembly of Iranian- Americans in San Diego, on Sunday DEC 22, was a great SUCCESS!

You say WHY a success? People said so. One man said: "All of a sudden, I and my brother's wife could visit him for the 1st time. Not just for one, but for 3 hours. Alsoa lawyer was allowed to visit every cell and make sure the tempratures were set right." The people and media who supported this event are near and dear to our heart. We know we have accomplished a lot more than we think.

ABC 10, CBS 8, KUSI 9, WB 5, NBC 7 and Fox 6 were all there and will air in the afternoon and evening news. LA Times and San Diego Union Tribune will report it on Monday.

Mr. Ali Golchin, an Immigration Lawyer, was the event's spokesperson. We thank everyone who joined and made us more respectful. Those who did not make it today for any reason, we missed you.

The Iranian-American Community in San Diego

NEWS RELEASE
DEC 20, 2002

A Peaceful Demonstration objecting to the arrest and treatment of law abiding Iranian nationals by the INS who reported to be finger printed and identified.

A network of Iranian-American organizations in San Diego, CA (AIAP, HOI, PCC/ Kanoon, IWSG) supports the peaceful assembly and demonstration of our community:

DATE: Sunday, December 22, 2002
TIME: 2 to 4 PM
PLACE: San Diego Federal Building, 880 Front Street @ Broadway San Diego, CA 92188

This is not the way our children, husbands and fathers to spend their Christmas Holidays in Jail. Our community calls for 'Democracy' and 'The Liberty and Justice for ALL'.

People are protesting the new registration law and unlawful detention of immigrants who voluntarily came forward to comply with the Special Registration law. They are outraged by the treatment that our community is receiving due to new unjustified and discriminatory INS policies. We are resolved that this is inhumane, unjustified, unnecessary, and ultimately does not serve our national security. Terrorists do not walk voluntarily to INS to be fingerprinted.

We have received horror stories of defenseless Iranian immigrants who tried to comply with president Bush’s call to combat terrorism and went to INS offices. They instead faced wholesale arrests without proper justification. They were chained, handcuffed, and detained for Long periods. Many are still detained, and many are arriving from San Francisco to be detained here in San Diego.

We cannot understand why legal or 245(i) immigrants have been arrested? Also, we cannot understand why the sick, the disabled, and the elderly have been arrested? This is not inline with the spirit of the United States of America and all that it stands for: Democracy, The Liberty and Justice for ALL.

It is obvious that Trent Lott epidemic has been spreading to the Justice Department policy makers as well. A change of heart is in order.