This is a copy of the email announcement passed by the AIA:

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ALLIANCE OF IRANIAN AMERICANS

PROTEST THE LOS ANGELES INS USING REGISTRATION TO CONDUCT MASS ILLEGAL ARRESTS AND DISCOURAGING PEOPLE FROM REGISTERING AS REQUIRED BY LAW

Protest: The mass warrantless illegal arrests of Middle-Eastern males who showed-up for INS's mandatory registration program in Los Angeles in December

Why:
- The program is supposed to "register" people, not target them for mass illegal arrests;

- Thousands of men who did not register by December because they rightly feared illegal arrest or because of the chaos at the INS office deserve an extension to register;

- The thousands of men required to register in January- February, 2003, should not again face mass arrests.

- The men arrested in December who are still detained should be quickly released on reasonable bails.
- Los Angeles appears to be the only city which used the registration program as a vehicle to make mass illegal arrests;

When: Saturday, January 4, 2003, Noon to 1 PM

Place: INS Los Angeles District Office
Federal Building
300 N. Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, Ca. 90012

Sorry I can't be with you, truly unable to attend. My thoughts are with you, and my voice will be coming from yours, so sorry and thank you, peace and blessings to you all. I think my ancestors arrived to create a place of peace and justice, I must carry on that american family history, so I am there with you each moment you stand for the dream of peace and justice. with respect, fourth generation american.

Yeah! Right On! Let's protest the IRS. I'm paying way too goddammuch in taxes. Hell no, gimme my dough. Hell no, gimme my dough.

I don't want any more of it going to freeloading bums and illegal immigrants. Glad we're all in agreement.

.................

You really are a silly person. The only problem with your assinine cartoon is the label on the girl's case. It says "US Muslims". The people who are being questioned and detained are persons who are here on student visas, work permits, etc... they are not US Muslims. They are foreigners here, many of them illegally. And let us not forget who the 19 were that slaughtered our countrymen. Muslims living here, some of whom had student visas, work permits, etc...

You are a joker.

How terrible we are for wanting to have some controls over immigration, and for wanting to identify the fundamentalist radicals who are mixed in amongst our Muslim guests. Yes, lets go march and protest and whine and complain about how terrible it is to question them.

After you get done with that march, and while you're feeling so warm and goodly, you might want to take a trip to an Arab country like Saudi Arabia. Here are a few things to pack and declare on your Saudi customs declaration:

1 - A small Christmas tree
2 - A bible
3 - A cross with a figure attached representing Jesus, to be hung on a wall.
4 - Your collection of old Playboy magazines
5 - Your favorite XXX DVD
6 - A fifth of Jack Daniels Black Label whisky, unopened
7 - Some clothing with labels marked, "Made in Israel."
8 - A kit for making your own wine.
9 - A whole salt cured country ham
10 - A gold pin in the figure of the Star of David
11 - A framed photo of yourself shaking hands with Ariel Sharon

Bon Voyage and have a great time on your trip :-)

Most of whom were in the US LEGALLY
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/10/11/inv.ins.hijackers/
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/03/12/inv.flight.school.visas/
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/wnt/DailyNews/hijack_visas021023.html?partner=earthlink

There was either a serious lapse in protocol, or some meddling and chicanery with how the hijackers gained entry into the country. Ramzi bin Al Shibh (sp?) was denied entry, why not the others? All from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia? Our "ally?"

Either way, having Arabs and Muslims (or nationalities of "interest") who's visas have expired show up to formally settle their residency status be detained for an indeterminate amount of time, without access to legal resources is murky, at best. No terrorist would show up anyways. Those that do should be afforded the opportunity to settle their status amicably, regardless of the reasons (INS is notorious for losing, misfiling, and delaying paperwork) as they, at least, are appearing in "good faith."

Arabs tend to live among other Arabs, much like newly arrived Irish tended to live among other Irish in the latter half of the 19th century. By questioning these people (and let's not quibble - an expired visa is a violation of law serious enough to warrant deportation) we gain invaluable information about the inner workings of this society, and the opportunity to recruit operatives to keep tabs on this community. Our country was attacked, without warning, from inside this community. We need to shine a light on it, and encourage those within it to expose the terrorists that hide therein. This is a goal worth pursuing.

People usually tend to reside in their comfort zone, be it religious, ethnic, economic, or what have you. That is no revelation and is intuitively understandable.
The pretext for these people, according to Uncle Sam, was not for questioning, but resolution of immigration status. The people who showed up (and let's be realistic, terrorists would not) did so in "good faith" to resolve these issues, whether they be from negligence on their own part or the INS (which has a deplorable record on administration and execution of their own policies).
The assertion about "the opportunity to recruit operatives to keep tabs on this community" is muddled by the auspices under which they are coming forward. Given the past year's example of America practicing the "disappeared" policy, the likelihood of pressure, blackmail, and coercion to this end is exceptionally high.
Also, our country was NOT attacked from this community, but from extremists. The same distinction could be made to the mafia and Italians. I have yet to see reports of the US having rounded up droves of Italian men as a method of staving off La Cosa Nostra in the lat 40 years.
As for being attacked "without warning," what other sort of attack would it be? Would the US announce to the world "at 5pm on January 23rd, we will drop 15,000 of ordinance on Baghdad?" Highly unlikely.
I do agree that immigration is a serious issue, but this is California, and if you don't think there are over 2 million people in this state with immigration issues...

Seeing as these men came forward, as the government requested, allow for the process to prceed in the "light of day," as you put it. I seriously doubt all the men detained in the past year are or have connections (outside of pure nationality) with terrorists. Detaining them without access to legal counsel and without acknowleding their location is a practice utilized in South America. If they need to be held (with or without bail) due exclusively to immigration clarification (which may or may not be their fault), then why all the secrecy?

I think Marc is forgetting the alternative for not reporting. The US government could easily have just said all illegals will be deported. What they are doing is extremely fair. If you are violating the law, we will hold you while we process you. As I am sure you know, the vast majority of those held were released the next day - after paperwork was done.

Those who did not show up have no alternative now. If caught or found out, they are to be immediately deported - as I understand it there will justifiabily be no appeal. In addition, those who did not come forward would be more suspect than those who did. Questioning would be more throrough.

Those who hid from this registratiion can, of course, not claim that they paper work has been lost. They are SOL.

Those who turned themselves in have been treated well. They are getting a chance to at least be heard -and being heard with some lienency, just like any other criminal who turns his or her self in. Surely Marc is not claiming that other criminals should be absolved if they turn themselves in prior to being caught?

What struck me as troublesome was the rushed nature of this operation. The reporting on this issue only came to light as the deadline became imminent (2 days before?) and people rightly became alarmed. In order for the government to make a blanket statement that all illegals will be deprted they first would have to determine who and who is not illegal: which they thus far have been unable to do. And I am aware that most of those detained were released within 72 hours. I those who did not come forward are, indeed, SOL. But given the time-sensitive nature of this program, the lack of broad reporting months in advance, would it not be reasonable that some people might not have been made aware of it? What if, say, they had been on vacation? With the way the INS has performed, recently, they would probably make it back in the country (if outside the US) without hassle.
And those who hide are those who would not have forward in the first place. I do see this as an attempt to start putting the impetus back into the INS. I groan as I see the stretching of civil liberties, but understand that such an undertaking is necessary, even if some (or much) of the problems result from INS ineptitude, and not necessarily that of these men.
I am not inferring absolution for any of these men, only the opportunity to resolve their immigration issues in accordance with due process and a desire for the government to conduct such operations in less clandestine and more open methods.

Sometimes, B.A., you are downright hilarious!

Say what you will, but it will always be known by some here and some even in your own families that your politics are mean spirited, and that you are bigots.

Normal registrations and processing wouldn't be a huge issue. No one, including the vast majority of Muslims in the U.S., object to that. What people object to is insane and unjust treatment that has little to do with "processing" the law and more to do with INS incompetence, racial profiling and pressure on department heads to show something done -- for politics.

Be angry people. BA, you've improved your behavior on Indymedia in the last few months. It's no longer as easy to see that you're a bigot because you hide it well. But it wasn't all that long ago you were talking about smelly hippies and the ten people that showed up to the San Francisco protest against the war on Iraq. You're surrounded by people that have more love in their hearts than you. Scary, isn't it.

How exactly is "smelly hippies" a bigoted remark? And since when are you the High Commissioner of What is Good and What is Not Good?

Claiming that anyone who questions open borders or advocates enforcement of existing visa laws is a racist is precisely the same as saying anyone who questions Isreali actions is an anti-semetic nazi.

Everyone has a motive or reason for believing something. Its been my experience most people geniunely have positive motives for their beliefs.

For myself, I believe that toleration of illegal immigration leads to exploitation of these migrants, a fraying of social fabric and other sincerely felt, and I believe reasoned out, negative outcomes. I respect the views of those who disagree and do not believe that those people favor exploitation of migrants, etc nor that these are unreasoned American hating people. With the exception of big business representative out for cheap labor and union busting, the vast majority of those favoring unregulated borders or non-enforcement of visa requirements sincerely feel they do so for humanitarian grounds.

I think both sides have crediable arguments. (mine of course the stronger one : ) )

Anyway, this was a long winded way of saying I'm sorry this has to drop to name calling and that people should recoginize there is sincere and non-racist belief on both sides.

That, I think, is one of the fairest assessments in a while!