Protest Categorical Ban of Non-immigrant US Visa for Iranian Visitors

Protest Categorical Ban of Non-immigrant US Visa for Iranian Visitors
Proposed by US Senate in April 2002
(see http://www.antidiscrimination.org/senatevisaban.htm)

Petition of Americans and other Concerned Citizens Submitted to
President George W. Bush, the President of the United States of America,
and the Members of the Congress,
Requesting to Oppose Categorical Ban of Non-immigrant US Visa to Iranian Visitors and University Education Ban For Iranian Students in the America

April 24, 2002
President George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

cc:
Vice President Richard Cheney
Attorney General John Ashcroft
Secretary of State General Colin Powell
Members of the National Security Council
Members of the House of Representative
Members of the Senate

Mr. President, the Cabinet Members, and Honorable Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives:

Whereas we continue to unequivocally remain behind you in battling out any despicable terrorist acts against the United States of America and the principles for which this great nation stands, be it graciously acknowledged, nonetheless, that as patriotically proud, tax paying and contributing Americans of Iranian
decent, we submit to you our displeasure with grave concern regarding the passage of the Senate H.R. 3525: Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002.

If enacted into law, this bill would prohibit the issuance of tourist, business, student and other types of non-immigrant visa to residents of countries, the government of which are on the terrorist sponsoring states of the US State Department.

This means that immediate family members of over one million Iranian Americans can NOT, as in the past, travel to visit their American family members in the U.S. In other words, the immense hardship this possible legislature will cause to the nearly one million Americans of Iranian heritage is simply beyond measures.

Furthermore, it applies a blanket mistreatment of millions of people simply because of their country of birth. In other words, the principle of "innocent until proven guilty", that is the pinnacle of the American ideals, will then be undermined.

Lastly, if enacted this may violate the Constitutional, Civil, Natural and Bill of Rights of millions of Americans when it comes to family visitation rights and values, a principle which you have so strongly promoted in your life.

Mr. President, Members of the Congress: Battling terrorism, a true and legitimate endeavor that has so rightly united us all behind your leadership, has led to a paradigm shift in our daily lifestyle forever. Bestow us with the opportunity to continue working with you to seek out the actual culprits.

We trust you concur with us that placing the recent terrorist blame, committed exclusively by other
nationals, on the entire 70 million Iranian people, or taking punitive actions against our families and friends who may wish to visit us in our beautiful adopted land, the United States of America, is not the solution. There has never been any Iranian American or Iranian national allegedly involved in any of the tragic terrorist acts in the United States. Iranian people do not deserve such a harsh punishment for the terrorist actions of other nationals. There is no possible way to justify this law by making the daily lives of one million Americans of Iranian/Persian heritage miserable.

In closing, we anticipate with commendation the overruling of the HR. 3525 which will in turn, revive the confidence in our fair system of government and its leadership worldwide.

Respectfully submitted,

On behalf of concerned citizens, prepared and presented by:
Ms. Mozhgan Mojab
President, Persian Watch Center
www.antidiscrimination.org