International scholar visiting Texas A&M "mistakenly detained" by customs officials

[brooklynite]

http://m.theeagle.com/news/local/international-scholar-visiting-texas-a-m-mistakenly-detained-by-customs/article_b4153a96-fad7-11e6-8c7d-bb567fe94e17.html?mode=jqm

A visiting scholar to Texas A&M was detained by customs officials in Houston this week while on his way to speak at a symposium in Aggieland, officials said Friday at the conference.

Henry Rousso was flying in from Paris to participate in the Hagler Institute Symposium when he was “mistakenly detained” Wednesday evening upon his arrival, according to Richard Golsan, director of the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research at Texas A&M.

“When he called me with this news two nights ago, he was waiting for customs officials to send him back to Paris as an illegal alien on the first flight out,” said Golsan during his introduction to the session which Rousso was set to participate in.

After learning about the dire situation, Golsan said he immediately called university officials, leading A&M President Michael K. Young to enlist the help of Texas A&M Law School professor and director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic Fatma Marouf.

“Due to her prompt and timely intervention, Rousso was released,” Golsan said.

[Ilsa]

1. There will be a brain drain here if

People continue to be harassed. I wouldn't want it for myself, much less my family.

My husband works with numerous internationals, mostly from China and India. Some of the Indians are Sikh, which too often is ignorantly mistaken for muslim. At some point it will get to be a hassle traveling home or having family come to the US if there is a threat of incarceration or deportation.

[TexasTowelie]

6. This story has to be a set up for an Aggie joke.

I just know it.

[drm604]

8. My mother, who is 87 with health issues,

sees a number of specialists, and most of them are immigrants and appear to be from places like India and Pakistan (one wears a Sikh turban).

What happens if they decide that it's not safe here and leave? We already have a shortage of doctors. If any of them leave, it could take months for her to get an appointment with a new doctor.

[tammywammy]

10. I went to UT Arlington for graduate school.

It's the 5th most diverse university in the US. I worry about the impact to them.

[Jim__]

2. "Mistakenly detained"? What the fuck does that mean?

They didn't realize they had him detained? Have the customs officials always been this incompetent? Or do we have Trump to thank for this?

[drm604]

3. How many times is this story going to be repeated?

And keep in mind that we're only hearing about the prominent people that it's happening to. It must also be happening to many many more people whom we don't hear about.

[Doreen]

5. There are quite a few people we do not hear about.

They are not rich, famous, or politicians. They are scared of rocking the boat if they complain even though they know they are in the right.

[bhikkhu]

7. Very likely. How many don't have anyone rich or powerful to call?

And what happens to them then?

[Doreen]

11. Some get sent back to their country or detained until

ICE figures out on their own damn time that the detainee is right.

[Doreen]

4. Mistakenly my ass.

Their hate and desire for power is overshadowing what is right. I do not believe they are telling the truth about it being a mistake.

[tblue37]

9. ICE also detained and rudely questioned for an hour the former prime minister of Norway,

when he flew into New York, as well as a famous Australian author of children's books (emphasis added):

Author Mem Fox gets U.S. apology after being detained on way to Milwaukee

The Australian author of "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes" and other children's books has received an apology from U.S. officials after being wrongfully detained at a Los Angeles airport this month on her way to Milwaukee, ABC News reported Friday.

Mem Fox, who was questioned by Customs and Border Protection officers for two hours, said the agents appeared to have been given "turbocharged power" by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to "humiliate and insult" a room full of people they detained to check visas, the network reported.

Ms. Fox said she collapsed in tears afterward because the questioning was so insulting and aggressive.

And then, of course, there was the ex-wife of Muhammed Ali and Muhammed Ali, Jr., detained and rudely questioned about their religion because they have Muslim names.

Apparently ICE is full of nasty authoritarians who are very excited to be given what amounts to a carte blanche.

[FuzzyRabbit]

12. Rousso is a scholar. We can't allow intelligent people into the US.

ICE is flexing its muscles. Just in the last few days:

ICE Agents Move Hospitalized Salvadoran Woman Awaiting Emergency Surgery to Detention Facility in Texas: http://ktla.com/2017/02/23/ice-agents-move-hospitalized-salvadoran-woman-awaiting-emergency-surgery-to-detention-facility-in-texas/

ICE Doctored Document to Justify False Gang Affiliation: http://www.thestranger.com/slog/2017/02/16/24878118/detained-dreamers-lawyers-say-government-doctored-legal-document-to-try-and-prove-false-gang-affiliation

Muhammad Ali's Son Illegally Detained at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport by ICE.
Also
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/muhammad-alis-son-illegally-detained-at-fort-lauderdale-hollywood-international-airport-attorney-says-9164544

They are going to see how far they can go. Eventually, if they are not stopped, they will be conducting midnight raids at your house and mine, just to show they can throw their weight around.

[Ilsa]

14. Shouldn't erasing part of that document have

made the judge mad enough to throw ICE officers in jail for contempt or something? Shouldn't someone lose their job for falsifying this?

[hvn_nbr_2]

13. USA:world equals North Carolina:USA

USA:world = North Carolina:USA

International conferences are going to start moving out of the US because international intellectuals will be prevented from coming, harassed and interrogated, or simply won't risk coming here.

(DU software apparently won't allow an = sign in subject line so I had to spell it out.)

[irisblue]

15. mistaken huh?

my cellulite covered aas.

[mountain grammy]

16. So customs agents and border patrol and ICE are now some kind of goon squads

that randomly pick out people to harass? What's going on? American citizens with middle eastern names are detained? Mohammed Ali's son?

[Akacia]

17. Does anyone have information about the sick woman?

Just wondering if she was able to get help. This was a despicable action. It makes my blood boil!