Video / Multimedia

UPDATE: Shamir Ali Released From Detention

Posted Tuesday, November 1, 2011 in Video / Multimedia by Tara Kutz & Eduardo Garcia

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  • UPDATE: Shamir Ali Released From Detention

UPDATE: Thanks to the efforts of many activists and supporters, Shamir Ali has been released from detention. While we are extremely grateful for the outcome of Shamir's case, we also recognize that many others continue to be unfairly prosecuted. We hope that the administration can see this case as an impetus to set clearer guidelines for enforcing immigration laws.

 

On October 27th, activists gathered in front of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters in Washington, DC to hand deliver over 3,000 petitions calling on the administration to stop the deportation of DREAM Act-eligible youth Shamir Amirali Ali. Youth leaders in other parts of the country have led similar efforts to show their solidarity with Shamir and the other immigrants that continue to be unfairly caught in detention and removal proceedings.

Born in Bangladesh, Shamir was brought to the United States when he was just seven years old. Earlier this month, he was caught in a workplace raid and is currently being held in an immigrant detention center in South Florida.

“We know [the administration] is trying to stop some deportations,” says Matias Ramos, referencing an August 18 announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to de-prioritize the removal of immigrants who have not committed serious crimes. “We’re here to tell them that we can’t wait.”

Ramos’ urgency for more action is not unwarranted. Even as a leading activist in the national movement for immigrant rights, Matias had a deportation order placed against him in September – about a month after DHS announced an initiative to focus agency efforts on the “worst of the worst.” The most recent figures released by ICE also show that a significant percentage of removals are not a serious threat to public safety or national security.

This highlights the need for DHS to establish more transparent guidelines so that those who are not a high priority for removal are not being prosecuted by field directors, who at this point may have varying interpretations of how to best implement the new policy. Until then, youth like Shamir and Matias will continue to be at risk for deportation.
 
Act now: sign the petition to keep DREAM Act-eligible Shamir in the United States.

Tara Kutz is a video communications associate at Campus Progress. Eduardo Garcia is an advocacy associate at Campus Progress. Follow him @itseddie.

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