Summary:
* On Tuesday, November 16 I, Syed Sualeh (“Saleh”) Waziruddin, was refused admission into the United States at the US-Canada Border at Peace Bridge (between Fort Erie and Buffalo).
* the Free Trade Officer who administers the kind of visa I was renewing told me he had been watching me since my last trip to the border and that I could be seen as taking jobs away from Americans, asked me what would happen if I was put on a flight to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia (countries I am not a citizen of), and that James Earl Ray (Martin Lither King Jr.'s assassin) too had a Canadian passport and had said he was born in Canada (I was born in Canada and am a citizen only of Canada)
* The Free Trade Officer then had my car searched, and after peace vigil posters and fliers were found I was locked up in a cell without being told how long I would be detained for, I was searched, fingerprinted three times (twice on computer and once on paper), photographed twice, and questioned by two Immigration agents who asked me about my political beliefs and theological opinions
* I was renewing my TN (Treaty NAFTA) work visa as a Canadian citizen, which I have had and renewed annually over the last 6 years. The official reason I was given was that I don’t own or rent property in Canada, which was not a problem for the last 6 times I applied. I was told informally and implicitly that peace posters and Islamic Center open house materials found in my car where what “started all this”. I was told the rule about owning or renting property was always there but this time it’s being strictly enforced.
* I have no alleged (or existing) ties to criminal or terror organizations, and none have been alleged by the US government at any time, no evidence has ever been cited.
Violation of rights:
* I asked for representation from my Consulate (Canadian Consulate in Buffalo which also services Pittsburgh) three times, as well as a chance to call a lawyer from my own cell phone, but these requests were effectively denied. I was once told “you don’t understand, you’re in the border now” and that I would be locked up for “a while”.
* I was questioned about non-violent peace vigils (location, my role), about my views on US foreign policy, and I was asked for names of people helping the Muslim community with Immigration issues, as well as how I knew my labour movement contacts, and opinions on Islamic theology
* The questions I was asked were based on posters for peace vigils (non-violent), a flier from Black Voices for Peace, a flier against sweatshop conditions in Bangladesh, and materials from an Open House at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh
* I was told I am on a list of people the US Government is “interested in”
Background/Biography:
* I am a Canadian citizen born to Indian and Pakistani parents and grew up in Saudi Arabia, I am a Muslim
* In 2002 I was involved in the successful year-long effort to free an Ethiopian immigrant arrested as a terrorist (www.freegetu.org, info packet at
http://www.freegetu.org/materials/facts/GetuInfoPak_v4-3.htm)
* I have been involved with the Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh’s Anti-Discrimination Committee, examples include a protest against special registration
(http://www.postgazette.com/localnews/20030222protestmainreg4p4.asp),
working with the ACLU on a Volunteer Lawyer System for people undergoing special registration
(http://www.postgazette.com/localnews/20030316special0316ap3.asp),
and helping with individual cases
(http://www.postgazette.com/pg/03168/193416.stm)
* I am also on the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh’s Outreach Committee and help arrange Open Houses (e.g.
http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/09/14/4146645c99256)
* From 2002-2004 I was the Board President of the Thomas Merton Center, a 30-year peace and justice non-profit organization www.thomasmertoncenter.org,
http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/09/24/3d8fcf0f6b2df?in_archive=1)
Contact Points: I am currently staying in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada: I can be telephoned at 412 654 6047, receive letters at 4025 Dorchester Road, Apt 146, Niagara Falls, ON L2E 7K8, e-mailed at salehw@yahoo.com. I am still investigating the background of what was done and can be done.
