That includes Muhammed Masood. The Patriot Ledger editor gets it:
"One of the many things that separate us from other countries is that we are a nation of laws and at the core of our judicial system is a belief that the laws be applied evenhandedly."
"Imam Muhammad Masood has contributed much to the region as former spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of New England’s Sharon mosque but his violation of the immigration laws and his admitted lying should result in his deportation."
" ....While we empathize with Imam Masood’s plight, we cannot excuse the fact he lied to federal officials..... allowing Masood to remain would open the floodgates to any number of illegal immigrants looking to circumvent the system.
The local Muslim American Society, on the other hand, doesn't get it. Hossam AlJabri of the Boston MAS issued this statement last FRiday (2-29-08):
"We continue to support Imam Masood as a loved and respected leader in our community and urge government agencies responsible for his continuing immigration case to allow him to continue to live in his adopted homeland."
Unlike the Muslim American Society, which maintains that the prosecution was a "witch hunt" against Masood, the Patriot Ledger editor took the time to research how many similar cases are underway:
"According to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, Masood is clearly not being singled out. Between 2004 and 2006, the Department of Homeland Security brought criminal immigration charges against 814,073. Of that, more than 86 percent involved a variety of immigration violations such as entering the U.S. without an inspection, not having a valid immigrant visa or overstaying a student visa."
Kudos to the Patriot Ledger for stating the obvious, something which other newspapers, interfaith supporters and the Boston MAS can't bring themselves to do.
And where is Imam's apology for his repeated lying? I guess being a Wahabi/Salafi Muslim means never having to say you're sorry.
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