Stop Unjust Detention, Release the Hashmis
Dr. Waheed Hashmi and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi, long-time residents of Toledo, Ohio, were arrested and locked up by ICE despite the fact that they are elderly, in poor health, and were making arrangements to depart the U.S.
On Tuesday, April 29th, 2008, Dr. Waheed Hashmi and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, transported to the Cleveland ICE headquarters and then to the Maple Heights City Jail. They were told that they were on a final order of deportation and would be sent to Pakistan as soon as their papers were processed.
If the authorities had taken the time to explore the details of the Hashmis' case, they would have learned that after Dr. Hashmi retired from the University of Toledo, the couple began the process of selling their home and leaving for Pakistan where a job was waiting for Dr. Hashmi. They were never given the chance to prove that they were in the process of returning to Pakistan. Instead, public resources were used to lock up this elderly couple who posed absolutely no threat or risk of flight.
At the Maple Heights City Jail, Dr. and Ms. Hashmi are being held in separate quarters, are unable to see each other, and their interaction with their children has been severely restricted--they have been allowed only 20-minute visitations during which they can only speak with their children via a telephone and across a glass screen. The trauma of the detention threatens the health of Dr. and Ms. Hashmi--both of whom have serious health problems.
About the Hashmis
Dr. Waheed Hashmi legally entered the United States in 1973 as a Fulbright Scholar. Since then, he has worked with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and with immigration attorneys to ensure that he and his family have a chance to attain permanent residency in the United States.
Over a period of approximately 35 years Dr. Hashmi, a scientist, and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi, a floral designer, have lovingly raised their children, held jobs, paid taxes, contributed towards social security, and invested their time and talents to build a better Toledo community.Due to a series of circumstances and occurrences beyond their control, including oversights on the part of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, some of which were revealed in documents obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request, the Hashmis have faced several obstacles to attaining permanent residency but they never gave up hope of achieving what all immigrants want--a decent life for themselves and their children.
Sign on to the letter asking that the Hashmis be immediately released from jail.
Dr. Waheed Hashmi and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi, long-time residents of Toledo, Ohio, were arrested and locked up by ICE despite the fact that they are elderly, in poor health, and were making arrangements to depart the U.S.
On Tuesday, April 29th, 2008, Dr. Waheed Hashmi and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, transported to the Cleveland ICE headquarters and then to the Maple Heights City Jail. They were told that they were on a final order of deportation and would be sent to Pakistan as soon as their papers were processed.
If the authorities had taken the time to explore the details of the Hashmis' case, they would have learned that after Dr. Hashmi retired from the University of Toledo, the couple began the process of selling their home and leaving for Pakistan where a job was waiting for Dr. Hashmi. They were never given the chance to prove that they were in the process of returning to Pakistan. Instead, public resources were used to lock up this elderly couple who posed absolutely no threat or risk of flight.
At the Maple Heights City Jail, Dr. and Ms. Hashmi are being held in separate quarters, are unable to see each other, and their interaction with their children has been severely restricted--they have been allowed only 20-minute visitations during which they can only speak with their children via a telephone and across a glass screen. The trauma of the detention threatens the health of Dr. and Ms. Hashmi--both of whom have serious health problems.
About the Hashmis
Dr. Waheed Hashmi legally entered the United States in 1973 as a Fulbright Scholar. Since then, he has worked with the Immigration and Naturalization Service and with immigration attorneys to ensure that he and his family have a chance to attain permanent residency in the United States.
Over a period of approximately 35 years Dr. Hashmi, a scientist, and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi, a floral designer, have lovingly raised their children, held jobs, paid taxes, contributed towards social security, and invested their time and talents to build a better Toledo community.Due to a series of circumstances and occurrences beyond their control, including oversights on the part of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, some of which were revealed in documents obtained by a Freedom of Information Act request, the Hashmis have faced several obstacles to attaining permanent residency but they never gave up hope of achieving what all immigrants want--a decent life for themselves and their children.
Sign on to the letter asking that the Hashmis be immediately released from jail.
Julie Myers
Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Department of Homeland Security
425 I St. NW
Washington, DC 20536
Dear Julie Myers:
On Tuesday, April 29th, 2008, Dr. Waheed Hashmi and Ms. Nusrat Hashmi were arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, who had arrived on their doorstep without warning. They were transported to the Cleveland ICE headquarters and then to the Maple Heights City Jail. They were told that they were on a final order of deportation and would be sent to Pakistan as soon as their papers were processed.
If ICE had taken the time to explore the details of the Hashmis' case, it would have learned that after Dr. Hashmi retired from the University of Toledo, the couple began the process of selling their home and leaving for Pakistan where a job was waiting for Dr. Hashmi. The Hashmis were not given the chance to prove that they were in the process of returning to Pakistan. Instead, public resources were used to lock up this elderly couple who posed absolutely no threat or risk of flight. The trauma of the detention threatens the health and wellbeing of Dr. and Ms. Hashmi--both of whom have serious health problems.
It is simply inhumane to hold two elderly people in custody for no good reason, especially when they were voluntarily planning to depart the U.S. The Hashmi detention is a colossal waste of precious tax dollars and does not make us any safer. ICE should lock up those who would do us harm, not senior citizens whose misfortune has brought them into the grip of a dysfunctional immigration system. ICE needs to do the right thing and release Dr. and Ms. Hashmi.
The Hashmis need to go home and be given enough time so that they can pack their belongings, sell their home, wish their children goodbye and leave.
We the undersigned members of the Toledo community, as well as people around the country and the world are outraged at the manner in which Dr. and Ms. Hashmi's case has been handled. We ask that ICE do the right thing and immediately release Dr. and Ms. Hashmi.
I've known the Hashmi family for almost 15 years and what is happening to them now is terrible. There's no reason this had to be handled in the manner it was.
I have known the Hashmi's for over twenty years. I consider them to be a second family to me. Nusrat and Waheed have positively contributed to our community over the years and have raised their children to do the same. To see them being treated without the dignity and respect that I have always seen them show to others is an outrage. I believe our community to be losing two very positive and upstanding members.
This is arbitrary, capricious, and despotic. Only a thoroughly corrupt system can have such disdain for humanity. Kindly release them, apologize, and offer them compensation. Then please set about reforming what is patently a badly broken system.
Please let this elderly couple return to Pakistan in peace. Don't let this be their last experience in America.
As a graduate of The University of Toledo, I cannot believe a former professor would be treated in such a way. As a human being, I cannot understand how and why this has occurred.
This is just criminal.....
I believe this is absolutely traumatizing for an elderly couple to go through. This needs to be rectified immediately and this couple treated like good, respectable human beings that they are. America should thank them for their contribution to the country over 35 years of paying taxes. I am truly disgusted that this could happen and has happened, it makes me wonder how many other innocent people are being held in detention centers on tax payers money.
Please review this case more closely and allow Dr. and Ms, Hashmi to leave the country with the dignity and safety that they had planned for.
Hi Since they have contributed more to society than the people who arrested them - maybe the ICE officials should take a trip to Pakistan instead.
Please, in the interest of justice and the dignity of every person, reform the broken immigration system and stop detaining these people.
Please review their case and allow the Hashmis to return home!
Let's use some common sense here and get these people out of jail.
Please give them a chance for their case to be heard, and for them to reunite with their family.
I have known the Hashmi's daughter Anita for many years. She has been raised by her parents to be an upstanding citizen here in the U.S. It seems unneccessary to confine her parents in jail when they are trying to go to Pakistan anyway. They obviously pose no threat here or abroad and should be released immediately.
I know that realistically, the Hashmis are unlikely to be released, but it is shameful that we can't arrange for people to say a simple goodbye to their own children. What a heartless system we have.
Foolish (and damaging) actions, encouraged by an out-of-control administration
It is time to rediscovery the rights on which this country was established
Please release this elderly couple who have been active AND taxpaying members of the community.
If this couple has lived here since the 1970s legally and have been making arrangements to return to their home country, I see no reason why our tax money should be spent to imprison them, as if they were criminals.
This is simply outrageous. Shame on the US government!
The US government has now become synonomous with injustice, criminal activity, war mongering, illegally detaining people against their human rights, breaking international human rights laws, pollution and the list goes on...basically a disgrace to the Huaman Race and fast becoming like a cancer on this beautiful planet we all call Home.
It is sad to know that in this country of "justice for all", such injustice is practiced in the name of a government agency.
To keep this elderly couple in jail is just plain nuts! The Hashmi's should be release immediately. ICE's Gestapo-like tactics are beginning to documented on many sites. A few examples are here: www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/node/508 Is our Nation becoming a brutal Police State? Is THIS what was outlined in The Constitution, or what the Founding Fathers had in mind? I don't think so!
