Immigrants Rights : Asylum-Refugees : Press Releases

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Immigrants Rights : Asylum-Refugees : Press Releases

ACLU Asks Court to Bar Government From Deporting Egyptian National to Torture (08/30/2007)
SCRANTON, PA - At a hearing today in federal court, the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the U.S. government cannot deport an Egyptian national back to Egypt based on "diplomatic assurances" from the Egyptian government that it will not torture him upon his return. The ACLU also asked that he be immediately released from detention, where he has been held since May.

Government Apologizes for Unlawful Arrest and Detention of Iraqi Refugee (08/23/2007)
SEATTLE -- The American Civil Liberties Union today announced that the United States government has apologized to Abdulameer Yousef Habeeb, an Iraqi refugee whom federal agents unlawfully stopped, interrogated, arrested, imprisoned, and sought to deport. At the request of federal officials and the ACLU, a federal district court judge in Montana vacated a 2006 ruling upholding Habeeb's arrest and detention. The government also provided Habeeb compensation for its mistreatment of him.

Court Says 'No' to Indefinite Detention (03/17/2006)
LOS ANGELES - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today unanimously ordered the immediate release of a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seeker and torture victim who has been imprisoned by the government for nearly five years.

ACLU Files Lawsuit to Protect Religious Liberty of Imprisoned Asylum Seeker (05/18/2005)
SAN FRANCISCO -- The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging restrictions on an asylum seeker's right to wear a religious head covering. The plaintiff, Harpal Singh Cheema, is a devout Sikh, imprisoned since 1997 while awaiting a decision on his asylum application.

ACLU Sues Federal Agents for Illegal Arrest and Detention of Iraqi Refugee (03/17/2005)
GREAT FALLS, MT--The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, and the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project today sued two federal agents for unlawfully stopping, interrogating, arresting, imprisoning, and seeking to deport an Iraqi refugee who was legally admitted to the United States and had broken no laws. As a result of his illegal detention, the man lost his job and suffered serious humiliation and emotional distress.
Immigrants Rights : Asylum-Refugees : Legal Documents

Khouzam v. Hogan - Memo and Order (01/10/2008)

Uribe-Reyna v. Chertoff Motion for Reconsideration (01/31/2007)
Uribe-Reyna v. Chertoff Motion for Reconsideration

Complaint in Habeeb v. Castloo (03/17/2005)
Immigrants Rights : Asylum-Refugees : Legislative Documents view all

Testimony of Tom Jawetz for the House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care (10/04/2007)

Testimony of Edwidge Danticat for the House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care (10/04/2007)

Testimony of Dr. Allen Keller for the House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care (10/04/2007)

Testimony of June Everett for the House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care (10/04/2007)

Testimony of Francisco Castaneda for the House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing Detention and Removal: Immigration Detainee Medical Care (10/04/2007)
Immigrants Rights : Asylum-Refugees : Court Cases

Khouzam v. Chertoff (03/07/2002)
The ACLU and the ACLU of Pennsylvania (2007) prevailed in their case on behalf of an Egyptian Coptic Christian who had been detained and who claimed he had been tortured by the Egyptian government because he refused to convert to Islam. After permitting Sameh Khouzam to stay in the United States for nine years based on evidence that he would probably be tortured if he returned to Egypt, the U.S. government changed its position in 2007 and sought to deport Mr. Khouzam based on diplomatic assurances from the Egyptian government that Mr. Khouzam would not be tortured upon return. As a result of the ACLU's advocacy, a federal court granted Mr. Khouzam an indefinite stay of deportation to Egypt.