|
|
|
|
SUBSCRIBE The leading Copyright |
Dear Editor:
Registration of "aliens" is an unfortunate fact of life for (nearly) all modern states. The abuses of this power are particularly clear during war time, which brings knocks in the night, mass roundups, and internment camps. We are now well down the road toward repeating that dark history. With the detention and deportation of many Muslims who have had no connection with terrorism, the Bush Administration shows that it has learned little, or nothing, from America's experience during the World Wars of the last century.
In the end, one hopes, America will again realize its mistakes and make amends - a Special Immigrant visa for each person unjustly detained or deported under the Special Registration program? That might be a bill to urge on our lawmakers in the near future.
As to whether we will go all the way toward recreating a gestapo police state is still up in the air. As responsible, thinking people, each of us has the duty to publicly oppose emergency measures that go over that line. As to precisely what that line is, to paraphrase a Supreme Court justice, "I can't define it, but I know it when I see it."
Mark Levey Copyright © 1999-2002 American Immigration LLC, ILW.COM
 Share this page | Bookmark this page | Print this page |  Add to del.icio.us
The leading immigration law publisher - over 50000 pages of free information!
© Copyright 1995-2008 American Immigration LLC, ILW.COM |