A growing number of Muslim and Arab Americans are finding it difficult to return to the United States after traveling abroad, advocacy groups say.
Following an attempted Christmas day bombing on a Detroit-bound airplane, Muslim and ethnic Arab citizens of the US are bearing the brunt of the stringent wave of security measures installed at US airports.
In one case, a US citizen was told without any explanation that he could “not fly with any airlines to the USA" when he presented his US passport at the airport in Bogota, Colombia for a flight to Miami last month.
The California-born Raymond Earl Knaeble IV told The Washington Post that he was eventually sent to the US Embassy where an FBI agent questioned him about his recent conversion to Islam and a trip to Yemen where he had studied Arabic for three months.
"He said, 'I can't give you back your passport,' " Knaeble explained, adding that he has yet to be provided with explanation despite the passing of almost three weeks.
Khalilah Sabra, director of the immigrant justice program at the Falls Church-based Muslim American Society, said the extensive questioning and delays of Arabs and Muslims has seen a 50 percent increase since Christmas, with about 16 cases being reported each month.
"Getting out [of the US] is okay. No one says anything, but when they try to come back they are not allowed in, or they are being questioned," she said.
Security guidelines at US airports were further tightened after a failed attempt to allegedly blow up a US airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day.
The end result of this is said to be rather “chilling” for travelers -- mostly Muslims and Arabs-- who are being singled out for airport questioning and screening.
"People do whatever they can now not to cross borders if they're Muslim because they feel there's some potential for humiliation," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American Islamic Relations.
Off topic, but your signature reminds me of "pale blue dot". Makes one marvel at the vastness of the universe. And makes me wonder if somewhere out there could be other intelligent life. Also makes me wonder within a theistic mode of thought why the gods if they hold us as their most important concern would create all this extra space.
i would take this story with a pinch of salt! presstv news are known for making lots of propaganda to heat things up.
this may be one isolated incident concerning 1 person, and not a general theme. it would practically be impossible for this to happen on a usual basis, civil rights groups, the courts etc wouldnt allow it to happen, its 100% unconstitutional and would stand no chance.
it seems in this case, that this guy is under suspect because he went to yemen for 3 months, and happens to also be a convert, and theyre just checking him out. even with that said, its not allowed for them to keep hold of his passport, but as for barring american born citizens from entering America, i dont believe that.
Off topic, but your signature reminds me of "pale blue dot". Makes one marvel at the vastness of the universe. And makes me wonder if somewhere out there could be other intelligent life. Also makes me wonder within a theistic mode of thought why the gods if they hold us as their most important concern would create all this extra space.
Who said we are the 'most important creation' furthermore, why would God limit the universe when he can make it vast and wondrous?
as per Noble Quran:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
هَلْ أَتَى عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْئًا مَّذْكُورًا {1} [Yusufali 76:1] Has there not been over Man a long period of Time, when he was nothing - (not even) mentioned?
so there is plenty going on before we came to the scene!
and again as per Noble Quran, the creation of everything else is certainly more impressive than the creation of man although from the smallest cell to canis major everything in creation is worthy of awe to those who take heed:
أَأَنتُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَمِ السَّمَاء بَنَاهَا {27} [Yusufali 79:27] What! Are ye the more difficult to create or the heaven (above)? (Allah) hath constructed it: [Pickthal 79:27] Are ye the harder to create, or is the heaven that He built?
رَفَعَ سَمْكَهَا فَسَوَّاهَا {28} [Yusufali 79:28] On high hath He raised its canopy, and He hath given it order and perfection. [Pickthal 79:28] He raised the height thereof and ordered it;
وَأَغْطَشَ لَيْلَهَا وَأَخْرَجَ ضُحَاهَا {29} [Yusufali 79:29] Its night doth He endow with darkness, and its splendour doth He bring out (with light). [Pickthal 79:29] And He made dark the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof.
وَالْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ دَحَاهَا {30} [Yusufali 79:30] And the earth, moreover, hath He extended (to a wide expanse); [Pickthal 79:30] And after that He spread the earth,
أَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا مَاءهَا وَمَرْعَاهَا {31} [Yusufali 79:31] He draweth out therefrom its moisture and its pasture; [Pickthal 79:31] And produced therefrom the water thereof and the pasture thereof,
وَالْجِبَالَ أَرْسَاهَا {32} [Yusufali 79:32] And the mountains hath He firmly fixed;- [Pickthal 79:32] And He made fast the hills,
مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ {33} [Yusufali 79:33] For use and convenience to you and your cattle. [Pickthal 79:33] A provision for you and for your cattle.
Text without context is pretext If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him
i would take this story with a pinch of salt! presstv news are known for making lots of propaganda to heat things up.
this may be one isolated incident concerning 1 person, and not a general theme. it would practically be impossible for this to happen on a usual basis, civil rights groups, the courts etc wouldnt allow it to happen, its 100% unconstitutional and would stand no chance.
it seems in this case, that this guy is under suspect because he went to yemen for 3 months, and happens to also be a convert, and theyre just checking him out. even with that said, its not allowed for them to keep hold of his passport, but as for barring american born citizens from entering America, i dont believe that.
Reread the article carefully.
format_quote Originally Posted by islamirama
A growing number of Muslim and Arab Americans...
In one case (citing an example)
The California-born Raymond Earl Knaeble IV told The Washington Post
Khalilah Sabra, director of the immigrant justice program at the Falls Church-based Muslim American Society, said the extensive questioning and delays of Arabs and Muslims has seen a 50 percent increase since Christmas, with about 16 cases being reported each month.
i did read it carefully, infact you should read what your quoting carefully. what you quote says that many Muslims have been delayed and questioned, and that there have been 16 such cases, it says NOTHING about Muslim Americans being barred from America, so thank you for proving my point! the group is saying something completely different to what presstv are saying, presstv are saying they are BARRED from going inside America, the rights group says theyre being delayed and questioned, two completely different things.
and as for the one supposed incident quoted to the washington times, i said that if this is the case, it is one case only, and not the general trend because it would be impossible to do this on a mass scale, and 100% unconstituional and would never last in court.
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