Tip 'o the hat to
Americablog.
In an increasingly xenophobic administration, President Bush declared that he can arrest any immigrant, hold them without trial, and that they cannot challenge their detention in civilian courts.
Immigrants arrested in the United States may be held indefinitely on suspicion of terrorism and may not challenge their imprisonment in civilian courts, the Bush administration said Monday, opening a new legal front in the fight over the rights of detainees.
Are you from another country? Are you studying Arabic and/or nuclear engineering? Have we got the spring break destination for you! Come on down to Gitmo and we'll show you how we party in Bush's America!
Remember, these are people who have already filled out the paperwork to come and study here legally.
That law is being used to argue the Guantanamo Bay cases, but Al-Marri represents the first detainee inside the United States to come under the new law. Aliens normally have the right to contest their imprisonment, such as when they are arrested on immigration violations or for other crimes.
No word in the article as to whether or not he's been allowed to contact his embassy, as is required under
international law, to which the U.S. is a signatory but frequent violator
1.With a view to facilitating the exercise of consular functions relating to nationals of the sending
State:
(a) consular officers shall be free to communicate with nationals of the sending State and to have
access to them. Nationals of the sending State shall have the same freedom with respect to
communication with and access to consular officers of the sending State;
(b) if he so requests, the competent authorities of the receiving State shall, without delay, inform the
consular post of the sending State if, within its consular district, a national of that State is arrested or
committed to prison or to custody pending trial or is detained in any other manner. Any communication
addressed to the consular post by the person arrested, in prison, custody or detention shall be forwarded
by the said authorities without delay. The said authorities shall inform the person concerned without
delay of his rights under this subparagraph;
(c) consular officers shall have the right to visit a national of the sending State who is in prison,
custody or detention, to converse and correspond with him and to arrange for his legal representation.
They shall also have the right to visit any national of the sending State who is in prison, custody or
detention in their district in pursuance of a judgement. Nevertheless, consular officers shall refrain from
taking action on behalf of a national who is in prison, custody or detention if he expressly opposes such
action.