Posted by
Pinto Man on Sunday, August 26, 2007 6:56:34 PM
Motana Border Patrol agents do their job and the ACLU sues. In 2003 Abdul Habeeb stepped off a train in Havre, Montana to stretch his legs. Border Patrol agents approached and asked where he was from. Habeeb is from Iraq. The agents asked if he had gone through "special registration." He answered he had not. He was arrested.
Good job, I say. An arab man, which fits the description of every muslim terrorist, is questioned by border patrol agents. Good. Muslim terrorists like to blow up trains too, making him all the more suspicious, and making the agents all the more right in their decision to question Habeeb.
A mistake did occur. Montana Border Patrol agents are probably not used to running into Iraqi refugees. Habeeb came here as an Iraqi refugee, which exempts him from the "special registration." Habeeb was detained for 3 nights in Montana and he was searched and questioned. He was sent to Seattle and spent 4 nights there.
Habeeb had quit his job and was on his way to a job at an Arabic Language Paper in Washington D.C. He did not get the job at the paper but resumed his job in Seattle with a furniture maker.
For his troubles the Justice Department settled and paid $250,000 and apologized. That must have been some high paying furniture making job. In his claims for relief the ACLU states as the first cause, violation of fourth amendment rights. It seems to me this did not happen, upon arrest an agent has the right to search the detainee. The ACLU accuses the agents conduct was intentional (yes, let's hope so) and with deliberate indifference, or with reckless disregard of plaintiff's constitutional rights. Since there were other agents involved, and even another office in Seattle, I don't think this was a couple of rogue agents delibrately disregarding Habeebs rights.
The second cause of action is violation of due process. Apparently due process is what found the mistake, so I don't see that as a cause either. And the third cause of action being violation of right to equal protection. To the ACLU this means that anyone who might look like a suspect, or illegal immigrant, should not be questioned by Border Patrol agents.
Habeeb is opening an art gallery. He said, "I came with my deams to America - about the freedom, about the life, about the art. I feel like today is my first day in America. I want to open my art gallery. Well then Habeeb, why don't you act like an American and do what any honest American would have done and realize a mistake was made in the interest of an entire country and get on with your life? No. Now you and the ACLU are government funded by the settlement, that's the American way eh, Habeeb?
I work with a muslim from Morocco, he went through the "special registration" and thinks you should have too Habeeb.