BACKGROUND In December 2009, ICE agents beat and forced Rebhy Abdel-Malak to sign away his rights and attempted to deport him on a flight to Egypt. The captain of the airplane refused to take him, fearing Mr. Abdel-Malak would die en route. Instead of taking Mr. Abdel-Malak to the hospital for medical attention, ICE agents took him back to a remote county jail in Alabama; ICE only provided medical care to Abdel-Malak days later.
After immigrant rights advocates exposed the ICE abuse against Mr. Abdel-Malak, DHS issued a temporary stay of deportation while the U.S. Attorney's Office investigated the ICE abuse. ICE then transferred him from Alabama to the Atlanta federal detention facility.
In February, ICE again attempted to deport Abdel-Malak, disobeying the stay of deportation. But the quick response from immigrant rights advocates prevented them from deporting him. ICE was thwarted from circumventing the stay of deportation and on-going the investigation. ICE retaliated by putting Abdel-Malak in solitary confinement and further restricted his contact with his family and advocates.
The U.S. Attorney's Office had set a July 6 date for the hearing on the ICE abuse. Then at midnight, on Monday, June 29, 2009, ICE agents took Mr. Abdel-Malak from his cell and put him on lockdown and, under cover of night, transferred him from Atlanta to New York.
ICE agents threatened Abdel-Malak with drugging him if he resisted or attempted to get help to stop his deportation. ICE agents continually photographed Abdel-Malak while waiting for the flight to Egypt, to document that he was not beaten.
ICE accompanied Abdel-Malak on the plane from New York to Cairo, Egypt. After landing on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. local time, ICE turned him over to Egyptian security police.
His family and supporters fear for his safety and life.
DEMAND ICE BRING BACK ABDEL-MALAK SAFELY FROM EGYPT! Please join us in demanding that the DHS brings back Mr. Abdel-Malak safely from Egypt and continue its investigate into the ICE abuses, and prosecute responsible ICE agents! Mr. Abdel-Malak is the key witness in the investigation and must be safely returned and reunited with his family.
BACKGROUND In December 2009, ICE agents beat and forced Rebhy Abdel-Malak to sign away his rights and attempted to deport him on a flight to Egypt. The captain of the airplane refused to take him, fearing Mr. Abdel-Malak would die en route. Instead of taking Mr. Abdel-Malak to the hospital for medical attention, ICE agents took him back to a remote county jail in Alabama; ICE only provided medical care to Abdel-Malak days later.
After immigrant rights advocates exposed the ICE abuse against Mr. Abdel-Malak, DHS issued a temporary stay of deportation while the U.S. Attorney's Office investigated the ICE abuse. ICE then transferred him from Alabama to the Atlanta federal detention facility.
In February, ICE again attempted to deport Abdel-Malak, disobeying the stay of deportation. But the quick response from immigrant rights advocates prevented them from deporting him. ICE was thwarted from circumventing the stay of deportation and on-going the investigation. ICE retaliated by putting Abdel-Malak in solitary confinement and further restricted his contact with his family and advocates.
The U.S. Attorney's Office had set a July 6 date for the hearing on the ICE abuse. Then at midnight, on Monday, June 29, 2009, ICE agents took Mr. Abdel-Malak from his cell and put him on lockdown and, under cover of night, transferred him from Atlanta to New York.
ICE agents threatened Abdel-Malak with drugging him if he resisted or attempted to get help to stop his deportation. ICE agents continually photographed Abdel-Malak while waiting for the flight to Egypt, to document that he was not beaten.
ICE accompanied Abdel-Malak on the plane from New York to Cairo, Egypt. After landing on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. local time, ICE turned him over to Egyptian security police.
His family and supporters fear for his safety and life.
DEMAND ICE BRING BACK ABDEL-MALAK SAFELY FROM EGYPT! Please join us in demanding that the DHS brings back Mr. Abdel-Malak safely from Egypt and continue its investigate into the ICE abuses, and prosecute responsible ICE agents! Mr. Abdel-Malak is the key witness in the investigation and must be safely returned and reunited with his family.
We the undersigned, demand the immediate and safe return of Mr. Rebhy Abdel-Malak (A# 74-711-265), who was unlawfully deported to Egypt by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and officials on Monday, June 29, 2009.
On Monday, June 29, 2009, at 10:00 p.m. EST:
* ICE forcibly deported Rebhy Abdel-Malak to Cairo, Egypt, to avoid a hearing on charges that ICE agents severely beat Abdel-Malak into signing away his rights. ICE disobeyed the stay of deportation for Abdel-Malak and ICE's actions constitute a cover up of their abuse.
* Upon arrival the next morning, ICE turned Mr. Abdel-Malak over to Egyptian security police, who immediately pounced on him, dragging him away pulling on his hair.
We demand that:
* DHS ICE ensure the safe return of Rebhy Abdel-Malak from Egypt (A# 74-711-265).
* DHS must fully investigate and prosecute ICE agents and officials responsible for beating and forcing Rebhy Abdel-Malak to sign away his rights, which ICE used in the attempted forced deportation of him last December. This deportation was again attempted in February 2009. And then, on June 29, 2009, disobeying a stay of deportation and under cover of night, ICE agents coerced Mr. Abdel-Malak to board a plane to Egypt. Prosecute and hold accountable all DHS and ICE officials responsible.
* ICE reunites Mr. Abdel-Malak with his family and protect and uphold his civil rights.
We signed the "Demand Safe Return of Rebhy Abdel-Malak" petition!
# 121:
12:52 pm PDT, Aug 30,Noelle Cruz, California
# 120:
10:37 pm PDT, Jul 31,Ellen Wasfi, Delaware
# 119:
10:09 am PDT, Jul 28,Heloise Rathbone, New York
Almost all of us are either immigrants or the descendants of immigrants. The only ones that are not children of immigrants are the Native Americans. We should be welcoming those immigrants at the same time trying to help their countries build better economies, because I believe many come here out of desperation and would really want to stay in their home town if they could find jobs that paid enough to live on.
# 118:
10:46 am PDT, Jul 27,Esther Baek, California
# 117:
1:47 pm PDT, Jul 26,Dristi Angdembey, California
# 116:
5:28 pm PDT, Jul 23,Sarah Rolfe, Washington
# 115:
6:15 pm PDT, Jul 22,Name not displayed, California
# 114:
2:19 am PDT, Jul 20,Stefanie Collins, Arkansas
# 113:
10:54 pm PDT, Jul 16,Name not displayed, California
# 112:
8:23 pm PDT, Jul 16,Alma Munoz, California
# 111:
8:00 pm PDT, Jul 16,Camille Taiara, California
# 110:
12:42 pm PDT, Jul 16,Ayda Lucero Fleck, California
# 109:
12:22 pm PDT, Jul 16,Rudy Arredondo, Maryland
# 108:
4:09 am PDT, Jul 15,Thomas Windberg, Texas
# 107:
11:53 pm PDT, Jul 14,Patricia Chang, Indiana
What kind of country have we become that we allow such brutality to occur?! If it can happen to one, it can happen to anyone.
# 106:
9:43 pm PDT, Jul 14,Fares Alhassen, California
# 105:
9:23 pm PDT, Jul 14,Ghalia Mohder, California
I am horrified by this atrocious act of violence committed in our nation that is supposed to stand against torture and abuse. I urge the Department of Homeland Security to launch an investigation into the prepetrators of this hate crime (ICE agents) and bring them to justice. I also urge DHS to ensure the same return of Mr. Abdel-Malak so that he can reunite with his family.
# 104:
9:11 pm PDT, Jul 14,John Welton, Maryland
# 103:
6:47 pm PDT, Jul 14,Artam Z, Ukraine
# 102:
3:57 pm PDT, Jul 14,Mike Monnens, Minnesota
# 101:
1:41 pm PDT, Jul 14,Martha Perez, Oregon
# 100:
12:59 pm PDT, Jul 14,Sarah Alaoui, California
Without justice, there can be no peace.--MLKJR.
# 99:
11:07 am PDT, Jul 14,Name not displayed, California
# 98:
9:04 am PDT, Jul 14,Daniel Denvir, Pennsylvania
# 97:
7:24 am PDT, Jul 14,A Foley, Minnesota
# 96:
6:31 am PDT, Jul 14,Jane Leatherman Van Praag, Texas
# 95:
5:30 am PDT, Jul 14,Mary D. Hydro OSB, Florida
# 94:
8:13 pm PDT, Jul 10,Helene Slessarev-Jamir, California
# 93:
6:50 am PDT, Jul 9,Ira Gayll Zamudio, Philippines
# 92:
11:13 am PDT, Jul 8,Jamie Harrison, North Carolina
# 91:
9:06 am PDT, Jul 8,Monica Youssif, North Carolina
Bring me my dad back! I am only a little girl that wants her father back. Is that too much to ask for, for my dad? All I can do now is pray that God soften hearts of the members of ICE and bring him back to me so that me and my family can live a normal and happy life just like everyone else.
# 90:
8:57 am PDT, Jul 8,Viola Youssif, North Carolina
# 89:
5:29 pm PDT, Jul 7,Jan Fletcher, Washington
As director of a nonprofit organization that advocates for human rights in Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, I think the serious nature of the allegations of this case justify an immediate inquiry into Mr. Abdel-Malak's alleged abuse while in U.S. custody, as well as an immediate effort to reunite him with his family in the U.S., while these allegations of abuse against Mr. Abdel-Malak are fully investigated.
# 88:
4:21 pm PDT, Jul 7,Alaa Awad, North Carolina
I knew Mr Abdel- Malak as a good Church member and he has 2 doughters and a little boy they really need him so badly and I think that will be so mercyfull if he look after his kids who are suffering without a father to take care of them !!!!!!!!!
# 87:
2:38 pm PDT, Jul 7,Atef Zakaria, North Carolina
atef zakaria
# 86:
12:09 am PDT, Jul 7,Grace Shimizu, California
Shame on this Administration for the continuation of rendition policy and practices. Mr. Abdel-Malek must be returned to safely to the US so that ICE abuse can be fully investigated and so that he can be reunited with his family.
# 85:
9:17 pm PDT, Jul 6,Fr Antony Zaki, South Carolina
# 84:
1:59 pm PDT, Jul 6,Karin Mak, California
# 83:
12:26 pm PDT, Jul 6,Mary Wessa, North Carolina
# 82:
7:48 am PDT, Jul 6,Carol Weissbrod, Massachusetts
# 81:
4:34 am PDT, Jul 6,Nabil Kirollos, Canada
Demand Abdel-Malak’s safe return to the U.S. and prosecution of the ICE officers involved from the Atlanta U.S. Attorney’s office. Bring Rebhy Abdel-Malak back immediately to allow him to follow through with the investigation and participate in the outcome. Do not allow this cover-up to continue. Do the right thing with the investigation and make sure that justice is done and not sweep this under the rug like so many other cases involving ICE. We demand that the officers that brutally abused Rebhy, be punished to set an example so this sort of abuse is stopped. It is clear that nothing will change unless we demand the change. It has to start and stop somewhere and we are lucky enough to live in a country where we DO have freedom of speech and the freedom to demand what we want from our government. The government will not be the source of change, only WE can be. Lets make sure that these ICE officers are prosecuted and maybe just maybe this will stop someone else from committing this type of crime again in fear of possible ramifications. Rebhy’s case is not an isolated incident. In the course of this process, we learned of several others who were brutally abused by ICE agents in the same ICE detention facility and those are just the ones we learned about.
# 80:
3:59 am PDT, Jul 6,Bruce Clairmont, Massachusetts
# 79:
6:00 pm PDT, Jul 5,Shari Johnson, Massachusetts
# 78:
4:39 pm PDT, Jul 5,Alphonse G. Kelada, South Carolina
# 77:
4:15 pm PDT, Jul 5,Ian O'Mara, North Carolina
Help this man get the freedom he should have. His life is in danger if he is in Egypt.
# 76:
2:59 pm PDT, Jul 5,Robert Gillis, Massachusetts
No human being is illegal!
# 75:
1:03 pm PDT, Jul 5,Susan Gillis, Massachusetts
Demand Abdel-Malak’s safe return to the U.S. and prosecution of the ICE officers involved from the Atlanta U.S. Attorney’s office.
Please write and fax the U.S. attorney’s office and tell them to bring Rebhy Abdel-Malak back immediately to allow him to follow through with the investigation and participate in the outcome. Tell them not to allow this cover-up to continue. Tell them to do the right thing with the investigation and make sure that justice is done and not sweep this under the rug like so many other cases involving ICE. Tell them we demand that the officers that brutally abused Rebhy be punished to set an example so this sort of abuse is stopped. It is clear that nothing will change unless we demand the change. It has to start and stop somewhere and we are lucky enough to live in a country where we DO have freedom of speech and the freedom to demand what we want from our government. The government will not be the source of change, only WE can be. Lets make sure that these ICE officers are prosecuted and maybe just maybe this will stop someone else from committing this type of crime again in fear of possible ramifications. Rebhy’s case is not an isolated incident. In the course of this process, we learned of several others who were brutally abused by ICE agents in the same ICE detention facility and those are just the ones we learned about. This type of abuse and worse is an on-going thing everyday and in every detention facility. It has to stop. Treating human beings like this under our own roof cannot be tolerated or we are no better than the other countries who torture who we are demanding change from. Every human being should and must be treated in a humane manner no matter where they are and this should especially be the case in a country that calls itself a supporter of human rights.
Please write and fax to:
Gentry Shelnutt, Chief
Criminal Division
U.S. Attorney's Office
75 Spring Street, S.W.
Atlanta, GA.30303
T. 404)581-6000
Fax (404)-581-6181
# 74:
12:05 pm PDT, Jul 5,William Chorneau, California
This treatment of Rebhy Abdel-Malak is a blatant violation of his human rights. I join in demanding his safe return now!
# 73:
12:01 pm PDT, Jul 5,Miosotis Mercado, California
# 72:
1:05 pm PDT, Jul 4,Ken Mia, Wisconsin
# 71:
6:00 pm PDT, Jul 3,Malia Everette, California
# 70:
10:24 am PDT, Jul 3,Matthew Bronson, California
Please allow a full vetting of this case and the return of Mr. Abdel-Malak to testify.
# 69:
10:00 am PDT, Jul 3,Salena Mendoza, Texas
# 68:
10:00 am PDT, Jul 3,Salena Mendoza, Texas
# 67:
6:02 am PDT, Jul 3,Michele Zuccali, Italy
# 66:
11:26 pm PDT, Jul 2,Cassie Cohen, Oregon
# 65:
6:49 pm PDT, Jul 2,Ellen-Rae Cachola, Hawaii
I demand that Mr. Rebhy Abdel-Malak be reunited with his family
I demand that DHS fully investigate and prosecute the ICE agents and officials responsible for this crime against Mr. Abdel-Malak.
# 64:
4:03 pm PDT, Jul 2,Shaily Matani, California
I'm dismayed that these tactics are continuing under the Obama administration.
# 63:
1:24 pm PDT, Jul 2,Vicky Cintra, Mississippi
This is truly another show of abuse of the badge, of the uniform, of the agency! When will we realize that we treat our animals better than what we pretend to treat the people that make up the country we call Democratic, the country we call others to model after, the country we say that no Human Rights Violations occur in, the Country that we call the USA! When will we stop hating others because they are different or because they lack a filthy piece of paper, or because we have a gun? When will it all stop? Bring Abdel-Malak Back Safely from Egypt! Do the RIGHT THING!
# 62:
12:17 pm PDT, Jul 2,Annie Paradise, Maine
What empowers a nation to act with impunity? What fears propel the 'protections' of the Patriot Act and other laws? As citizens, we demand greater transparency into the practices and policies of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Structures that perpetuate racist and gendered violence must, like Guantanamo Detention Camp, be dismantled.
# 61:
3:41 am PDT, Jul 2,Name not displayed, Malta
# 60:
1:41 am PDT, Jul 2,Dennis Jorolan, Philippines
# 59:
10:16 pm PDT, Jul 1,Griselda Velasquez, California
# 58:
8:25 pm PDT, Jul 1,Kim Klein, California
ICE must be held accountable for their actions and constitutional rights must be observed.
# 57:
7:50 pm PDT, Jul 1,Jenny Polak, New York
The brutality of US immigration enforcers in their treatment of such a vulnerable person is shameful especially in a country that so many look to for leadership on human rights issues. The world is watching.
# 56:
6:34 pm PDT, Jul 1,Name not displayed, California
# 55:
2:35 pm PDT, Jul 1,Craig Phipps, New Jersey
# 54:
10:27 am PDT, Jul 1,Simone Schamach, California
# 53:
10:24 am PDT, Jul 1,Judith Goldberger, Massachusetts
Human rights must be respected!
# 52:
9:42 am PDT, Jul 1,Gabriel Padilla, Texas
Stop the injustice of ICE and their treatment of Undocumented Immigrants!
# 51:
9:33 am PDT, Jul 1,Marlen Andrade, Texas
Please bring Mr. Abdel-Malak back home with his family. No one should be treated this way. He deserves justice. Stop the abuse by ICE!
