[Forwarded from Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants; apologies for duplications. --Committee for the Release of Farouk Abdel-Muhti]

First flight left Buffalo on 8/19; more flights to follow later this week. PLEASE keep making phone calls to BICE officials and Congress (and ask Democracy Now to cover this story). See below for more information:

The first of this week's Palestinian deportation flights departed on the morning of Tuesday, August 19, 2003, from Buffalo, NY with about 22 detainees on board. We have not yet heard from any of those deported and do not know whether they have arrived safely. It now appears that the BICE will send the 100+ detainees on several smaller flights instead of one big one. The second flight was scheduled to leave around 11am today, Wednesday, August 20, although it has apparently not left and may instead leave on Friday, August 22.

We believe that Munir Lami *was* on the August 19 flight. Muhammed Abu Shaker (of Gaza) was *not*. An Egyptian man whose attorney has filed for a stay of removal for him was also *not* on the flight. (Both are scheduled for the next flight, going to Egypt.) As of August 18, Farouk Abdel-Muhti was still at York County Prison in PA and had not been moved.

The following is from a message sent yesterday by David L. Wilson of the Committee for the Release of Farouk Abdel-Muhti:

"Some of the detainees on today's flight were fearful and upset. Some said they had been been fighting their deportation through the legal system, and many were concerned about their situation when they reach their destinations. The mass deportation flights take place in virtual secrecy, and the deportees are generally not able to contact their families or legal representatives before they leave. As a result, their lawyers do not have time to make emergency filings for stays of removal or other relief, and their families cannot make arrangements for the deportees when they arrive in the Middle East. Some are likely to land with nothing more than the clothes on their back and no contacts in their 'home countries,' which they may not have seen for years.

"We urge people to continue to publicize and protest these flights. We cannot overemphasize the importance of publicity *in advance* of a flight. Publicity in the media and in activist circles is the only way deportees' families are likely to find out about the flights and take steps to challenge the deportation or to make necessary preparations.

"We also urge human rights and news organizations with contacts in the Middle East to prepare to monitor the deportees' safety when they arrive."

Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants (CHRI) urges supporters to continue making phone calls and sending faxes to:

- David J. Venturella, BICE Office of Detention & Removal: 202-514-8663; fax 202-353-9435; - William Cleary, BICE regional director in Buffalo: 716-551-4741, ext. 2530 - Members of Congress (Congressional Switchboard): 202-224-3121

(Please ALSO call or email Mike Burke at Democracy Now to ask them to please cover the story this week: mike@democracynow.org, 212-431-9090. They were supposed to cover it on Tuesday morning but did not.)

Make it clear to BICE officials that deporting people who do not have valid travel documents or who fear for their safety if deported is a violation of international law--regardless of whether they have "had their day in court" or have exhausted their appeals--and that if any harm comes to any of the deportees, you will hold them (BICE officials) personally responsible.

Make it clear to your members of Congress that because they write the immigration laws, they have a special responsibility to oversee the activities of the BICE. Ask your senators and representative to investigate the deportation flights and report back to you: how many people were deported, and to which countries? have they reached their destinations safely? were they shackled during the flights? how much of our tax dollars are being spent on these deportations? etc.

Here are some specific demands which you can raise in your phone calls:

- Do NOT include Muhammed Abu Shaker (A# 7214 2691) on any of the deportation flights. Instead allow him to remain in the US while he pursues refugee status in Canada.

- Do NOT include on the flights anyone who has applied for a stay of removal or other relief, who fears for their safety if deported, who lacks adequate travel documents, or who is seeking to go to a third country.

- Guarantee the safety and protection of Munir Lami--who was deported on August 19, blind and in poor health--and of all the other deportees.

- Don't restrain detainees during flights.

- Make information about these taxpayer-funded deportation flights public.

If Venturella, Cleary or other BICE officials tell you the detainees are "terrorists" and therefore should be deported, ask them why they would want to deport terrorists. Wouldn't that be dangerous? Shouldn't they be charged in court instead? Obviously the detainees are not terrorists.

Also, Cleary told one caller that immigrants who remain here without authorization are occupying slots which could be allocated to refugees. This is patently untrue. In fact, there are many slots available for refugees which the US has failed to fill because they have slowed their refugee processing so much.

For more information: Coalition for the Human Rights of Immigrants (CHRI), 339 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012; tel 212-254-2591; fax 212-674-9139; email .

-->> To get on the CHRI email list (average 4-5 messages a week), sign up through the website at http://www.itapnet.org/chri -or- to be added to or removed from the list write to email chri@itapnet.org.

-->> Para recibir nuestros mensajes por email (promedio de 4 a 5 mensajes por semana), inscribase en nuestro sitio, http://www.itapnet.org/chri, o, para unirse a o quitarse de la lista, escribanos al email chri@itapnet.org.

8/20/03: Farouk Abdel-Muhti has now been held for 481 days.