Letters of Support for Amer Jubran

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The INS office responsible for Amer's continued detention has been flooded with letters, faxes and phone calls demanding Amer's immediate release. We encourage everyone to write, fax and call the office on their own--numbers and addresses can be found on the contacts page. When you write, please email a copy of your letter to ajdc@amerjubrandefense.org, and indicate to us if we can post it (anonomously or not) on this website. Feel free to use the letters below as guides.

• "I can't help but worry that Mr. Jubran's arrest signals yet another erosion of our civil liberties and an abrogation of the legal protections to which he is entitled." (George Capaccio, Arlington, MA)
• "International standards require that every arrested or detained person has the right to access to legal counsel promptly after his or her arrest and at every stage of the proceedings... The INS, and specifically the Regional INS office in Boston, is developing a reputation for illegal detention which violates international humanitarian law." (Dr. Lana Habash, Department of Family Medicine, Boston University)
• "I'm writing you to raise serious questions about the treatment by your agency, an agency of my government, of a young Palestinian, Mr. Amer Jubran... I am deeply concerned that many Palestinians in the U.S. have been similarly held in detention for no reason at all." (Margaret J. Lilienthal)
• "I have known Mr. Jubran very well for over 12 years, and I know that he is a responsible and law-abiding citizen. He is also a prominent and articulate spokesperson for human rights and Palestinian rights." (Dr. Donna M. Joss, Professor, Worcester State College)
• "It is impossible to escape the conclusion that this punishment is directed at Mr. Jubran for his political activism." (Richard Hugus, Cape Cod)
• "I write as a U.S. military veteran of Jewish descent, and an active supporter of political freedom and civil liberty. Mr. Jubran's arrest and detention sounds to me like an arbitrary administrative action undertaken for purely political reasons that needs to be corrected without delay." (Cape Cod)

Dear Mr. Farquharson,

It has recently come to my attention that Amer Jubran, a friend and colleague of mine, is being detained indefinitely by the INS at the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston, RI. It would appear that Mr. Jubran has done nothing wrong to warrant such treatment. I know him to be a person of principle and integrity who is committed to the cause of justice for the Palestinian people.

I am appalled that both the FBI and the INS saw fit to take Mr. Jubran from his home and incarcerate him without ever having charged him with any crime or misdemeanor. Given the current climate of fear that surrounds issues related to the Middle East, I can't help but worry that Mr. Jubran's arrest signals yet another erosion of our civil liberties and an abrogation of the legal protections to which he is entitled.

I urge you to do all that is in your power to set a date for Mr. Jubran's bond hearing and to work toward securing his immediate release.

Sincerely,

George Capaccio

Dear Mr. Farquharson,

I am writing to demand the immediate release of Mr. Amer Jubran, a respected and prominent Palestinian activist being held in INS custody in the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston, Rhode Island. I am a family physician and clinical faculty member at Boston University School of Medicine, as well as a friend of Mr. Jubran's.

Mr. Jubran was arrested in Rhode Island on November 4th after INS agent David Atkins forced his way into Mr. Jubran's home. There was no search warrant. Agent Atkins did not identify himself or inform Mr. Jubran of his rights. He did, however, threaten Mr. Jubran with imprisonment if he did not cooperate with the FBI. INS has stated that Mr. Jubran's detention is indefinite, despite the fact that he has not been charged with any crime.

Following his arrest, Mr. Jubran was interrogated by the FBI regarding his political organizing, without his lawyer present and despite Mr. Jubran's request that his lawyer be present. This interrogation was facilitated by the INS.

International standards require that every arrested or detained person has the right to access to legal counsel promptly after his or her arrest and at every stage of the proceedings.

It is important to note that Mr. Jubran was arrested two days after speaking at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Boston.

This case is startlingly familiar to that of Mr. Jaoudat Abouazza, a Palestinian activist arrested in Cambridge one week before a major pro-Palestinian protest in Boston this past June. While in INS custody, Mr. Abouazza had teeth forcibly extracted without his consent, along with multiple other violations of his rights, including interrogation by the FBI without his lawyer present, as in the case of Mr. Jubran.

It is hard to interpret the actions of the regional INS office as anything other than deliberate targeting of Palestinian activists in an effort to silence them. This is the second time in the course of five months in which I have had cause for grave concern regarding regional INS treatment of Palestinian activists. The INS, and specifically the Regional INS office in Boston, is developing a reputation for illegal detention which violates international humanitarian law. You will recall that during Mr. Abouazza's case, Amnesty International became involved, and Mr. Abouazza was released. I have taken the liberty of forwarding this letter to the Northeast Regional Office of Amnesty International.

Mr. Jubran is a respected member of the community. He has a valid green card and is in full compliance with all regulations concerning non-citizens residing in this country. He has ties to both Providence and Boston. He has not committed any crime. Furthermore, he has not been charged with any crime that warrants his detention. I strongly urge you to release Mr. Jubran immediately and further request that a bond hearing be scheduled immediately.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lana Habash
Assistant Predoctoral Director
Clinical Faculty
Department of Family Medicine
Boston University School of Medicine

Dear Mr. Farquharson:

I'm writing you to raise serious questions about the treatment by your agency, an agency of my government, of a young Palestinian, Mr. Amer Jubran. He was arrested by FBI and INS agents on November 4, 2002, and placed in detention by INS order in Cranston, Rhode Island. He is being held without charges.

He is legally resident in this country with all his papers in order.

I am deeply concerned that many Palestinians in the U.S. have been similarly held in detention for no reason at all. What is common to these cases is that the persons placed in detention have been outspoken on issues relating to the Middle East. You, your agents, and the present administration in Washington may disagree with Mr. Jubran, but he, as a legal resident of this country is guaranteed the right of free speech, one of the fundamental rights of the United States Constitution. I feel that the violation of the rights of Mr. Jubran and others are the violation of my rights, as well. I am particularly concerned that a bond hearing was not held promptly after his arrest. I urge you to correct this violation at once, and see to it that Mr. Jubran is released from detention, safe and sound, within the next twenty-four hours.

Sincerely,

Margaret J. Lilienthal

Dear Mr. Farquharson,

The purpose of this letter is to request that you personally and immediately review the case of Mr. Amer Jubran of Cumberland, Rhode Island who has been held, since November 4, without bail or bond, in the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston, R.I. on an INS complaint.

I have known Mr. Jubran very well for over 12 years, and I know that he is a responsible and law-abiding citizen. He is also a prominent and articulate spokesperson for human rights and Palestinian rights. It is patently obvious that the offense with which the INS has charged Mr. Jubran is neither accurate nor serious enough to warrant his being arrested and held without bail or bond. It does appear that Mr. Jubran's arrest, which was carried out by both INS and FBI agents, is an attempt to suppress his activities of advocating for human rights and Palestinian rights. It also appears that Mr. Jubran's Palestinian and Arab identity are among the reasons that he was arrested.

As a citizen and taxpayer of the United States, I strongly object to the misuse of federal resources and power to intimidate, arrest and detain individuals such as Mr. Jubran, who are not criminals, and to hold to them for extended periods of time without even scheduling a bond hearing. This practice, which is, unfortunately, becoming quite common for the INS, is a serious violation of civil and human rights for which I hold you personally responsible. It is also a waste of federal resources.

If, after reviewing this case, you believe that the INS has a serious and legitimate case against Mr. Jubran, it is your responsibility to schedule a bond hearing for him immediately. If there is no justification for his arrest, which I firmly believe to be the case, it is your responsibility to release Mr. Jubran immediately.

Please forward to me at the earliest possible time the results of your review of this case along with an explanation of why you have allowed the prolonged detention of Mr. Jubran without insuring that a bond hearing be set.

Sincerely,

Dr. Donna M. Joss, Ed.D.
Professor, Worcester State College

Dear Mr. Farquharson:

I am writing to protest the treatment by the Immigration and Naturalization Service of Mr. Amer Jubran, currently in INS custody in the Adult Correctional Institution in Cranston, Rhode Island. I am a resident of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and a recipient of numerous awards for protecting the environment of Cape Cod. I have been a friend of Mr. Jubran and his family for several years.

Mr. Jubran has been in INS custody since November 4, 2002. While in INS custody, the following gross violations of his rights have occurred:

Mr. Jubran was subject to physical and verbal abuse by INS agent David Atkins both during and after his arrest. On November 4th, this officer illegally forced his way into Mr. Jubran's home, without a search warrant. Agent Atkins failed to identify himself, and failed to apprise Mr. Jubran of his rights under the law. This agent was then party to threatening Mr. Jubran with a fifty year jail term if he failed to cooperate with the FBI.

While in INS detention, Mr. Jubran was interrogated by the FBI without his lawyer being present. The FBI continued interrogation without complying with Mr. Jubran's request that his lawyer be present. The INS allowed this to happen. In fact, the INS facilitated the interrogation.

Mr. Jubran has not been charged with any crime serious enough to warrant detention. In fact, he has not been charged with any crime at all. Moreover, the INS has stated that the term of his detention is indefinite. This is an outrageous condition.

It is impossible to escape the conclusion that this punishment is directed at Mr. Jubran for his political activism -- activism which has been conducted legally and which is protected by the First Amendment right to free speech under the U.S. Constitution. The INS has not only violated that right; it has acted to selectively persecute individuals according what can only be called a political agenda, while failing to state this agenda.

In the past year and a half the INS has gained a reputation for racial profiling and illegal detention of hundreds of Arab and Muslim men all over the U.S. While carrying this out, the INS has trampled on numerous rights guaranteed in the Constitution. The arrest and detention of Mr. Jubran is yet another example.

I request an explanation from you, as the INS regional director, on these serious violations. I further request that a bond hearing for Mr. Jubran be scheduled immediately. Mr. Jubran must be released from INS custody now.

Sincerely,

Richard Hugus

I was dismayed to learn this week of the arrest of Mr. Amer Jubran in Rhode Island and his detention in a federal facility there without charges and without a bond proceeding that would allow for his timely release.

Mr. Jubran is a widely-known and respected Palestinian activist whose speaking appearance on Cape Cod last month drew much favorable public attention. I understand that he has a valid green card and is in full complicance with all applicable regulations concerning non-citizens residing in this country. His detention by the INS would therefore appear to be without real foundation; its prolongation would give color to the suspicion that he is being held because of his political activism.

I write as a U.S. military veteran of Jewish descent, and an active supporter of political freedom and civil liberty. Mr. Jubran's arrest and detention sounds to me like an arbitrary administrative action undertaken for purely political reasons that needs to be corrected without delay. I urge his immediate release.