AndreMotch
New Member
- Jurisdiction
- California
Between 1975 and 1990, Lebanon was devastated by a fierce civil war that resulted in the loss of over 100,000 lives and left the country in a state of destruction. It was a time of chaos, fear, and uncertainty, as different groups fought for control of the country.
I was born in Lebanon and, five years prior to the onset of war and political instability, I and my family emigrated to the United States as legal immigrants. We settled in San Francisco's Mission District I lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for 141/2 years.
"My ordeals began at California Medical Facility when I was administered involuntarily Medication without my consent, my parent's consent, and without a court order. When my father passed away when I was at C.M.F. Aand although prisons usually have procedures in place to allow inmates to attend the funerals of family members who have passed away, I was not able or permitted to attend my father's funeral service due to a deportation hold initiated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
This denial of the right to attend the funeral of a loved one was a clear violation of my rights, as it denied me the ability to grieve and pay my respects in accordance with my cultural and religious beliefs. It also caused me severe emotional distress and added to the hardships I was already facing as a result of incarceration at C.M.F and subsequent deportation
Without warning or explanation, I was forcibly removed from an immigration holding cell at 3:00 a.m. When I requested permission to say goodbye to my family and loved ones before my departure, I was denied this basic request
I was shackled and placed on a plane without knowing where I was headed or what would happen to me. instead of being safely escorted to Lebanon, I was abandoned in Athens, Greece. The immigration officials responsible or tasked with my deportation chose to avoid entering Lebanon due to fear for their own safety and left me alone stranded in Athens, apparently out of fear for their own safety in entering Lebanon. Without a passport, I was effectively trapped when I reached Lebanon and was unable to leave the country or seek safety elsewhere.
While I was in custody, prior to my final deportation, I discovered that the United States Immigration and Naturalization Services had engaged in "aggressive dialogues" with the Lebanese consulate, but they proved to be unsuccessful. Lebanon declined to take me back, so instead of providing me with the traveling passport that I desperately needed, I was given a United States Immigration and Naturalization Service document for a one-way trip.
Since there was nobody available to verify the document's legitimacy, I was accused of being a Palestinian who had falsified the document in Cyprus to gain entry. As a result, I was detained at the Junieh port of entry and held for forty-five days until my brother and mother made heroic efforts to obtain my release from custody.
The deprivation of a passport was a clear violation of my rights, as it effectively denied me the ability to travel and seek protection from the dangers I faced in Lebanon. It also violated international law, which guarantees all individuals have the right to a passport and the ability to travel freely.
After the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed, I found shelter there until the Marines left. During the day, I kept busy reading inter-office memos and scouring damaged paper works looking for texts or information on U.S. law, while at night, I relied on broken wooden chairs and desktops to keep myself warm. To avoid starvation, I relied on the food rations that the Marines disposed of near the embassy for the impoverished children. Fortunately, my acquaintance with a Puerto Rican Marine stationed near the embassy kept me safe.
My mother filed a petition for me to return to the US, but it was denied. Additionally, my visa application at the Lebanese Embassy to visit her during her ailing condition was also denied. Denying someone the opportunity to provide comfort and support to a loved one during their final days is a notorious and inhumane act. I am heartbroken that I was unable to provide comfort and support to my mom during her final days.
The pain of not being there for her is something that I will always carry with me. The denial of my visa and my mom's petition reflects how cruel immigration policies can be to families during difficult times. I expect those in positions of authority to understand the disastrous effects of such decisions; no one should be denied the chance to say their final goodbyes to a dying loved one.
This denial of my right to visit a loved one who was ill and eventually passed away was a clear violation of my rights. It deprived me of the ability to provide comfort and support to my mother during her final days, causing me severe emotional distress. This added to the hardships I was already experiencing as a result of my deportation - a notorious and inhuman act.
"I have endured unimaginable anguish and suffering as a result of too many cruel decisions, including the involuntary administration of psychotropic drugs and separation from my family. I was sent to a country that was embroiled in a civil war and denied the chance to attend my father's funeral, I was unable to take care of my ill mother. This agony has persisted since 1984 and before."
"It is crucial to hold those who are responsible accountable for their actions and ensure that justice is served.
Medical technicians should be held responsible and accountable for the harm they caused me. Immigration officials should also be answerable and should consider the well-being of individuals being deported and ensure they are not being sent to dangerous situations. Deporting someone without the necessary documents to a country where they could be harmed contravenes international law and human rights conventions.
I once believed that I lived in a nation that inadvertently takes pride in providing safeguards for its residents. The reference and belief that protection is a core value of that nation, but now it makes me wonder what I had done to deserve such a lack of protection and punishment. I had no idea that I would never see my mother, brother, and sister again in this life.
I was forced to return to a country I barely remember, a place filled with danger, violence, and uncertainty. Was it a miracle? Or is it the holy prayers of my mother and the devotion of my brother that kept me alive?
Despite facing so many obstacles, detentions by different militia groups, and torture under the hands of terrorist groups that infested this country, I am very fortunate enough to be alive today.
Perhaps my ethnic background of being Russian, Ukrainian, and Lebanese was a factor in my favor. Many others were not as lucky.
I was unable to communicate my situation to anyone until recently, when I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times, Post titled "Deportation to Nowhere." "BY ANNA GORMAN NOV. 6, 2005" The article highlighted the plight and relief of people like me who were being sent to countries they had no connection to and without any means of survival.
My story is a cautionary tale, and I hope that by sharing it, someone will intervene, by not allowing the violations against me to go unchecked, ignored, or unaddressed, I also hope for a reputable authority to take action to ensure that no one else is treated as a disposable and suffer as I did.
I was born in Lebanon and, five years prior to the onset of war and political instability, I and my family emigrated to the United States as legal immigrants. We settled in San Francisco's Mission District I lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for 141/2 years.
"My ordeals began at California Medical Facility when I was administered involuntarily Medication without my consent, my parent's consent, and without a court order. When my father passed away when I was at C.M.F. Aand although prisons usually have procedures in place to allow inmates to attend the funerals of family members who have passed away, I was not able or permitted to attend my father's funeral service due to a deportation hold initiated by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
This denial of the right to attend the funeral of a loved one was a clear violation of my rights, as it denied me the ability to grieve and pay my respects in accordance with my cultural and religious beliefs. It also caused me severe emotional distress and added to the hardships I was already facing as a result of incarceration at C.M.F and subsequent deportation
Without warning or explanation, I was forcibly removed from an immigration holding cell at 3:00 a.m. When I requested permission to say goodbye to my family and loved ones before my departure, I was denied this basic request
I was shackled and placed on a plane without knowing where I was headed or what would happen to me. instead of being safely escorted to Lebanon, I was abandoned in Athens, Greece. The immigration officials responsible or tasked with my deportation chose to avoid entering Lebanon due to fear for their own safety and left me alone stranded in Athens, apparently out of fear for their own safety in entering Lebanon. Without a passport, I was effectively trapped when I reached Lebanon and was unable to leave the country or seek safety elsewhere.
While I was in custody, prior to my final deportation, I discovered that the United States Immigration and Naturalization Services had engaged in "aggressive dialogues" with the Lebanese consulate, but they proved to be unsuccessful. Lebanon declined to take me back, so instead of providing me with the traveling passport that I desperately needed, I was given a United States Immigration and Naturalization Service document for a one-way trip.
Since there was nobody available to verify the document's legitimacy, I was accused of being a Palestinian who had falsified the document in Cyprus to gain entry. As a result, I was detained at the Junieh port of entry and held for forty-five days until my brother and mother made heroic efforts to obtain my release from custody.
The deprivation of a passport was a clear violation of my rights, as it effectively denied me the ability to travel and seek protection from the dangers I faced in Lebanon. It also violated international law, which guarantees all individuals have the right to a passport and the ability to travel freely.
After the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed, I found shelter there until the Marines left. During the day, I kept busy reading inter-office memos and scouring damaged paper works looking for texts or information on U.S. law, while at night, I relied on broken wooden chairs and desktops to keep myself warm. To avoid starvation, I relied on the food rations that the Marines disposed of near the embassy for the impoverished children. Fortunately, my acquaintance with a Puerto Rican Marine stationed near the embassy kept me safe.
My mother filed a petition for me to return to the US, but it was denied. Additionally, my visa application at the Lebanese Embassy to visit her during her ailing condition was also denied. Denying someone the opportunity to provide comfort and support to a loved one during their final days is a notorious and inhumane act. I am heartbroken that I was unable to provide comfort and support to my mom during her final days.
The pain of not being there for her is something that I will always carry with me. The denial of my visa and my mom's petition reflects how cruel immigration policies can be to families during difficult times. I expect those in positions of authority to understand the disastrous effects of such decisions; no one should be denied the chance to say their final goodbyes to a dying loved one.
This denial of my right to visit a loved one who was ill and eventually passed away was a clear violation of my rights. It deprived me of the ability to provide comfort and support to my mother during her final days, causing me severe emotional distress. This added to the hardships I was already experiencing as a result of my deportation - a notorious and inhuman act.
"I have endured unimaginable anguish and suffering as a result of too many cruel decisions, including the involuntary administration of psychotropic drugs and separation from my family. I was sent to a country that was embroiled in a civil war and denied the chance to attend my father's funeral, I was unable to take care of my ill mother. This agony has persisted since 1984 and before."
"It is crucial to hold those who are responsible accountable for their actions and ensure that justice is served.
Medical technicians should be held responsible and accountable for the harm they caused me. Immigration officials should also be answerable and should consider the well-being of individuals being deported and ensure they are not being sent to dangerous situations. Deporting someone without the necessary documents to a country where they could be harmed contravenes international law and human rights conventions.
I once believed that I lived in a nation that inadvertently takes pride in providing safeguards for its residents. The reference and belief that protection is a core value of that nation, but now it makes me wonder what I had done to deserve such a lack of protection and punishment. I had no idea that I would never see my mother, brother, and sister again in this life.
I was forced to return to a country I barely remember, a place filled with danger, violence, and uncertainty. Was it a miracle? Or is it the holy prayers of my mother and the devotion of my brother that kept me alive?
Despite facing so many obstacles, detentions by different militia groups, and torture under the hands of terrorist groups that infested this country, I am very fortunate enough to be alive today.
Perhaps my ethnic background of being Russian, Ukrainian, and Lebanese was a factor in my favor. Many others were not as lucky.
I was unable to communicate my situation to anyone until recently, when I came across an article in the Los Angeles Times, Post titled "Deportation to Nowhere." "BY ANNA GORMAN NOV. 6, 2005" The article highlighted the plight and relief of people like me who were being sent to countries they had no connection to and without any means of survival.
My story is a cautionary tale, and I hope that by sharing it, someone will intervene, by not allowing the violations against me to go unchecked, ignored, or unaddressed, I also hope for a reputable authority to take action to ensure that no one else is treated as a disposable and suffer as I did.
