Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Foreign Nationals Registering to Make INS Deadline

Aired January 10, 2003 - 14:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A question of legality.
Thousands of people are standing in long lines like this today, hoping they'll be allowed to stay in the country.

They're from 13 largely Arab and Muslim countries and North Korea. All are in the U.S. temporarily.

A post-9/11 law requires them to register with the U.S. government. If their papers aren't in order, they're arrested.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAUL DRION, UNCLE OF FOREIGNER: I went and looked at the information they have on the web site, the INS, and there is not -- no mention of any bond. You know, these are the people who are willingly coming to make sure that they are -- you know, they want to make sure they'll be legal, you know, soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena takes a closer look at this controversial anti-terrorism plan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mohamed Lamine meets with his lawyer to make sure everything is in place before he reports to an immigration office to register.

The 31-year-old Moroccan is in the country illegally. His country visa expired. And he knows he faces being detained.

But he says he has to register if he wants to stay.

MOHAMED LAMINE: Afraid very, very much. I'm afraid, like, 100 percent.

ARENA: Lamine entered this immigration office in Virginia and was taken into custody.

PAULINE SCHWARTZ, LAWYER: He was interviewed initially by one of the inspectors here, with me present, but then afterwards he was taken to a secure area of the inspections unit here, and I was not allowed to accompany him.

ARENA: Similar detentions last month prompted major protests. More than 400 men like Lamine, foreigners without permanent status, were taken into custody on December 16, mostly in California.

With new registration deadlines looming, protests continue around the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt that I had to do something to protest the registrations, detentions.

ARENA: All told, 47 men are still in detention.

MICHAEL GARCIA, ACTING INS COMMISSIONER: It is not a roundup, it is not a sting. It's a registration process.

Where INS folks in these offices encounter people who are violating the law, they have an obligation to process them.

ARENA: No one is sure what to expect for the latest deadline. Men from 13 countries, including Afghanistan, Morocco, North Korea, and Yemen, must register and be fingerprinted.

Critics say because of what happened last month, this time around a lot of people simply will not show up.

And they say the government may be doing more harm than good in the war on terror.

DONALD KERWIN, CATHOLIC LEGAL IM. NETWORK: Wouldn't it be smarter and more productive, rather than to shake the tree for law enforcement purposes, instead to cultivate positive, long-term relationships?

ARENA: But U.S. officials staunchly defend the entry-exit program.

GARCIA: To date what we can show is 240 people stopped at the border, who should not have been entering this country, including two people with known ties to terrorist organizations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Registers. You know when it's paid to the government.

ARENA: Currently, young men from 20 countries are required to register.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Kyra, I have to point out that the man that we profiled in our piece, Mohammed Lamine, posted a $1,500 bond and was released, pending an immigration hearing.

Now, so far things seem to be running more smoothly this time around than last. The INS tried to put more resources in areas with higher foreign populations. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. Kelli Arena, thank you.

And if this story sounds familiar, well, you're right. Back in December nearly 400 arrests were made in southern California when the first phase of visa holders voluntarily registered.

Los Angeles is home to a huge Iranian population. Iranian- Americans have protested that policy, claiming the men with no criminal pasts have been detained for days in humiliating conditions.






Aired January 10, 2003 - 14:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: A question of legality.
Thousands of people are standing in long lines like this today, hoping they'll be allowed to stay in the country.

They're from 13 largely Arab and Muslim countries and North Korea. All are in the U.S. temporarily.

A post-9/11 law requires them to register with the U.S. government. If their papers aren't in order, they're arrested.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAUL DRION, UNCLE OF FOREIGNER: I went and looked at the information they have on the web site, the INS, and there is not -- no mention of any bond. You know, these are the people who are willingly coming to make sure that they are -- you know, they want to make sure they'll be legal, you know, soon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena takes a closer look at this controversial anti-terrorism plan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mohamed Lamine meets with his lawyer to make sure everything is in place before he reports to an immigration office to register.

The 31-year-old Moroccan is in the country illegally. His country visa expired. And he knows he faces being detained.

But he says he has to register if he wants to stay.

MOHAMED LAMINE: Afraid very, very much. I'm afraid, like, 100 percent.

ARENA: Lamine entered this immigration office in Virginia and was taken into custody.

PAULINE SCHWARTZ, LAWYER: He was interviewed initially by one of the inspectors here, with me present, but then afterwards he was taken to a secure area of the inspections unit here, and I was not allowed to accompany him.

ARENA: Similar detentions last month prompted major protests. More than 400 men like Lamine, foreigners without permanent status, were taken into custody on December 16, mostly in California.

With new registration deadlines looming, protests continue around the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt that I had to do something to protest the registrations, detentions.

ARENA: All told, 47 men are still in detention.

MICHAEL GARCIA, ACTING INS COMMISSIONER: It is not a roundup, it is not a sting. It's a registration process.

Where INS folks in these offices encounter people who are violating the law, they have an obligation to process them.

ARENA: No one is sure what to expect for the latest deadline. Men from 13 countries, including Afghanistan, Morocco, North Korea, and Yemen, must register and be fingerprinted.

Critics say because of what happened last month, this time around a lot of people simply will not show up.

And they say the government may be doing more harm than good in the war on terror.

DONALD KERWIN, CATHOLIC LEGAL IM. NETWORK: Wouldn't it be smarter and more productive, rather than to shake the tree for law enforcement purposes, instead to cultivate positive, long-term relationships?

ARENA: But U.S. officials staunchly defend the entry-exit program.

GARCIA: To date what we can show is 240 people stopped at the border, who should not have been entering this country, including two people with known ties to terrorist organizations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Registers. You know when it's paid to the government.

ARENA: Currently, young men from 20 countries are required to register.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Kyra, I have to point out that the man that we profiled in our piece, Mohammed Lamine, posted a $1,500 bond and was released, pending an immigration hearing.

Now, so far things seem to be running more smoothly this time around than last. The INS tried to put more resources in areas with higher foreign populations. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right. Kelli Arena, thank you.

And if this story sounds familiar, well, you're right. Back in December nearly 400 arrests were made in southern California when the first phase of visa holders voluntarily registered.

Los Angeles is home to a huge Iranian population. Iranian- Americans have protested that policy, claiming the men with no criminal pasts have been detained for days in humiliating conditions.