Ansar Mahmood Vigil starting Tues 7/13 at 8pm

Vigil for Ansar Mahmood starting Tuesday 7/13 evening 8pm.

Posted from Chatham Peace:
Mail us at: info@chathampeace.org (checked daily) or poetapoetus@earthlink.net (checked hourly) or call 518-766-2992 if you have questions about the
vigil below.

PROTEST BICE/DHS DECISION TO DEPORT ANSAR MAHMOOD

Tuesday, July 13 starting at 8 p.m. a peaceful Vigil will begin in front of the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, NY to protest BICE/DHS's decision to refuse
Ansar Mahmood's request for deferred action. We invite everyone who can make it to come out to Batavia to protest against this injustice. The vigil will
continue throughout the night and the following days.

Rajesh Barnabas of Rochester and Rev. Richard Rose of Batavia are the central organizers for this protest. You can check our website www.chathampeace.org
for updates on arrangements for the event. If you are coming from the Columbia County or Albany/Capital District area, please call me (Susan) at
518-392-9477 so we can coordinate times and transportation.

This case is being watched throughout the world. Over the last week, since Mr. Cleary's letter of refusal became public, the story has been publicized all over
the US, Asia and the Middle East. Now it is important for us to make clear that we as Americans object to our government's harsh and unfair treatment of
immigrants in this country. In his letter, Mr. Cleary stated more than once that Ansar Mahmood is in no way connected to terrorism and yet then went on to
say that he "posed a serious threat to national security." This contradiction is a clear example of the way in which our government is using the pervasive
national fear of terrorism to target immigrants. About three quarters of the detainees in the Batavia Facility are there with deported charges. None of them
is "a serious threat to national security."

We are making two demands:
1. Tom Ridge of the Department of Homeland Security should reverse William Cleary's decision and allow Ansar Mahmood to return to Columbia County,
NY
2. Our government on all levels must change it's harsh immigration policies which have resulted in well over a million deportations over the last seven
years causing untold physical and financial hardship and heartache for families, individuals and communities all over this country and the world.

If you cannot travel to Batavia for the vigil, you can:
1. Call Tom Ridge's office at 202-282-8000 to protest Mr. Cleary's decision and ask that Mr. Ridge grant Ansar Mahmood deferred action status.
2. Contact your Senator and/or US Representative and register a protest about this decision. Ask Congress to put pressure on Mr. Ridge as well. (Call
1-800-839-5276)

Directions to Buffalo Federal Detention Facility
Batavia is located directly off of Interstate 90 half way between Rochester and Buffalo, NY in Western New York State.
Take Interstate 90 to Exit 48 (Batavia)
After getting off at the Exit, take a right onto Route 98
Go a short distance on Route 98 over a bridge and take the first left after the bridge onto Federal Drive
Follow Federal Drive to the end and you'll be at the entrance to the Detention Facility.

Thanks again for your ongoing support of Ansar Mahmood. When Irum Shiekh & I visited him on Monday, Ansar said he wanted to make sure that people
knew that he still loved this country and that he feels he has received a great bounty of love and kindness from all the people that have reached out to help
him and that if he gets deported, he will take that love back with him to Pakistan.

Susa