Visa Violators Caught in Probe

Re “Detainee Caught in Backwash of Sept. 11,” Nov 19: I feel for Raza Nasir Khan after his arrest because of his being in this country illegally after his visa expired. It was just bad timing after Sept. 11. Otherwise, he would be just like the hundreds of thousands who have ended up staying in the U.S. on expired visas over the years whom we don’t know anything about.

Pretty sad that the INS has taken so long to try and develop a better way of tracking foreigners over here. Does the term “illegal immigrant” really mean anything? If we are all to have sympathy for illegal aliens, perhaps we should change the term to something less abrasive, such as “wanna be a U.S. citizen but don’t give a hoot about your silly laws” immigrant.

Will Ray

Burbank

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According to your Nov. 17 story, “Muslims Are Worried by FBI Activity,” Islamic leaders say that the FBI activity in their communities is “troublesome, particularly at the start of ... Ramadan.” Considering what the country has endured the last 10 weeks, these Muslims’ self-absorption is striking. But it’s also consistent with most quoted reactions to the Sept. 11 infamies from American Muslim leaders. Their condemnations of the attacks have generally been grudging and equivocal, and we’ve heard little concern from these leaders that the 19 hijackers apparently hid in plain sight within Muslim communities in the U.S.

One often gets the sense from reading Times editorials and even news reports that violations of our immigration laws really don’t count. Such bias is demonstrated explicitly in this article by the remark that some of the Muslim young men whom the FBI is interviewing “now face years in prison or deportation for immigration violations or making false statements--even though they have not been tied to the terrorism attacks.”

“Even though”! The Times’ editors and reporters apparently think that aliens have some right to immigrate to the U.S. But it’s basic to our social contract that there is no such right. It is up to the American citizenry to decide whom we accept into our polity. Accordingly, people here without our permission (i.e., illegal aliens) and legal aliens who have committed other (i.e. non-immigration) crimes are obvious candidates for deportation.

Paul Nachman

Redondo Beach

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I can understand why American Muslims would be concerned about federal anti-terrorism investigators’ activity in their communities. No doubt many of them are innocent and good citizens.

However, followers of Islam everywhere must acknowledge the obvious: that 19 hijackers murdered almost 4,000 innocent people on Sept. 11 and all 19 of the murderers were Muslims; that the world’s most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Laden, and his followers in Al Qaeda profess to be Muslims; that the Taliban regime claims to follow the Islamic law in its extreme repression of women. These facts cannot be dismissed as inconsequential.

It is incumbent upon all Muslims to publicly repudiate in the strongest terms those who would profane their religion with terrorism and murder. Rather than complain about being discriminated against, they should show unequivocally where they stand.

Jim Blumel Sr.

Santa Clarita

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Under the guise of anti-terrorism, our Constitution is on the line. Our freedom and sense of decency are also in danger. Reading between the flags, I find that my government now authorizes the indefinite detention of those “suspected” of any terrorist connection. Those same suspects may be tried in military tribunals rather than by a public jury.

News is being censored because it might fall into the hands of terrorists. Environmental concerns are taking a back seat to war spending. Hollywood is accepting a propaganda courtship from our political leaders. Librarians are being told to not censor but destroy government documents that have been open to the public. All this to rid the world of those who would suppress freedom and democracy. I fear we are fast becoming what we despise.

Margaret Baker Davis

La Verne