I need a Brave Lawyer….tell them to contact me! HIT PAUSE TOP RIGHT TO READ IT ALL….

My thanks to http://www.condon.us for this website. In the guise of ‘Homeland Security’ and after 20 years of living in the states, married twice to US Citizens, I was dragged out of my home and arrested as ‘an illegal immigrant.’ Yes, I did spend 20 years filing the correct paperwork and paying all the fees, and many, many lawyers.
(FYI, I did consider signing up for the military post 9-11, to protect the land that was under threat, and that had given me a ‘safe home’, but could not go forward with my application, as my immigration status was still pending….20 years! what a joke.) I later heard that the US Military was recruiting outside the Mexican consulate, offering citizenship to those who would sign up….I wasn’t there I didn’t see it happen…but nothing surprises me now!

I was abused in a US Jail for four months, no charges, I also witnessed and documented the abuse of others, and then I was moved to a new jail, filmed to show that I was well treated, kept awake for 40 hrs, then flown to Britain and dumped at Heathrow, where they took me to the authorities, who told them I wasn’t wanted for anything….so Homeland Security walked away and went shopping in London. Now understand that as a ‘legal Green Card Immigrant’ or even as a US citizen, THIS COULD BE YOU.

After begging everyone (lawyers, doctors, legal clinics etc) for help here in the UK for six months, and being unable to get any, I approached my MP Maria Eagle, to ask her to investigate this matter. Being extremely stressed out, I took the parish priest with me to that meeting, as explaining the abuses in the jail is no easy thing, and I wanted to get my story across.

In the Middle of the Night, I was then taken from my home, jailed and told I was under suspicion of ‘making a threat against Ms. Eagle’ and there was a warrant for my ‘computer, articles to commit an offence, and Literature related to America’

HOLD IT – if Ms. Eagle, lives in the UK, why does the warrant cover ‘Literature related to America’ ??? Why did they need to any of the evidence I have of how I was treated over there? Is there some doubt that I am telling the truth?
Ms. Eagle has now tried to get the police to return my laptop, and the police are saying they need to do a full investigation…and cant or wont explain where the wording on the warrant came from……..you can search for years for something that isnt there…

Why did they need to take my evidence of what happened in America away from me?

Having never threatened anyone, and having begged for help for six months, I recall Binyam Mohammed’s comments released to the Press, that his lowest moment was when he realised that MI5 was actually cooperating with the Americans as he was tortured in detainment; he had held out hope that the British would intervene to assist him as the Americans continued to violate all of his human and Civil rights. This paragraph here, is my only potential ‘connection’ to terrorism; I actually feel the same as he did at that moment, completely let down by the Authorities who have the power to prevent these ‘abuses of power’ from happening.

After discussing with friends, their comment in unison, is that ‘You must have really upset someone in US Govt.

And here in the UK where I was raised with the belief that Britain doesn’t stand for this kind of thing, I can get NO HELP at all. Do not be surprised if this blog ends without explanation or conclusion. If they can do this to me, then they can just disappear me, under one of the new anti-terror laws, probably. I already know you don’t have to be a criminal to wind up in jail.

IF YOU KNOW A LAWYER, BRITISH OR AMERICAN, BRAVE ENOUGH TO TACKLE THIS SITUATION, Please have them contact me at Josieg6@hotmail.com

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.

now read www.immigrationdetaineestories.wordpress.com

The John Lennon Connection. :(

This past year has been unbelievable, I wouldn’t believe al this stuff if I hadnt seen it myself, and consequently I dont think I can see clearly for myself, so for a a titch of hope/guidance, I went to Psychic in Liverpool for a reading…(read the posts, I had nothing to lose…)

I thought he was crap. He couldnt understand my situation, (who can, plus – I give no info out when getting read, to assess the skill of the reader) but he said all he could get was ‘John Lennon’, he said he kept getting ‘let it be’ – as in ‘keep quiet’ – that I must keep quiet now….and to trust my instincts and I should be alright… he said all he could get was John Lennon.

Well, I was unimpressed, I thought this was crap. I was hoping for a bit of direction.

I knew very little about John Lennon, except he was shot on the streets of New York. Then it dawned on me that he was supposedly shot by a Schizo, who now has dayrelease to go visit anyone he likes etc….and I was in jail with a schizo… coincidence! Oh shit. shit shit.

Then a couple of people told me that John Lennon had opposed some US policies and was shot by the CIA…
I dont recall opposing any US Govt policies, until I spoke out about what they have just done to me, and the many trapped unnecessarily in their Immigration jails…abused, lied to, mistreated, starved…stuff you don’t hear about because most are afraid to speak up.

I spent my whole childhood afraid – so I just CANNOT not speak up when people are being terrorised. Same as if I hear a kid screaming I WILL go investigate, even if his dad is 3 times my size. That is who I am.

So, today I googled John Lennon….oh bugger.
I will always have to trust my instincts. Becuase you cannot trust your Govt, your politicians or your police. So, will they be sending a Manchurian candidate after me, or just continue to try to discredit me as a mental case?

I have had psy visions since I was 17. It was very strange, and disturbing, so I made it ‘lie down flat’ and ‘go away’ for years, to have a normal life. (as much as possible!) Most people don’t even separate it out, and just assume they are lucky or have great instincts. Mine were never good, because I grew up in a volatile house with random violence, so I had to be on alert all the time. But psy ability doesn’t really go away, and so it would push its way into my dreams, if there was something I really needed to know.

While trapped unnecessarily in immigration jail I did have a strong dream about Chicago suffering an extreme explosion though, and I did have an experience worth noting, which I will put at the end. I dont do dead people. I can see right into the heads of the living though! sometimes I can see what they can’t. When I met Julie Myers Wood in Immigration jail, she had dilated pupils. Anyhow, the older you get, the more you learn about the world and start to accept things for what they are, and to some degree, what you are, so I kept a dream blog, which included many dreams about political events, missiles, warships, U-name it. Stuff that I didnt pay any attention to in my daytime life; I wasnt very interested in world politics nor politically active in any way, other than documenting my wierd dreams. But I did get ‘C14′ in my dreams, which turned out to be a highway in Africa, which may be used to transport nuclear materials, but I dont know, If I haven’t seen it with my own two eyes in daylight, so therefore, I dont believe. Lets keep SMIS busy; all this stuff is on my dream blog..not hard to find….

A small psy experience in jail – there were many who did not speak any english. I had a dream where everyone was greyed out, including my useless spouse, except for one woman, I could see her eyes clearly, and she could see mine.
The next day, I asked a kid that was completely bilingual to ask that lady to come over, so I could tell her something. I asked th kid to translate word for word, which she said she would.

So I said ‘I saw you in a dream last night, I know you can see me too, I know you are psychic too”
The kid looked at me – I said, just word for word, OK?
so she translated it…the other woman looked at me, then she started gabbing, -it was translated to me,

‘Yes, I saw you too, I had the same dream, but I dont want anyone to know becuase you know they are all so religious in here, and superstitious, and if they know they will think I can tell them whether they get to go home’ – she also said that there is so much pain in the room that it makes her stomach hurt and she cant eat…so she doesnt want anyone asking her to tell them what will happen to them.

so I had the kid translate, I explained to her that I wouldnt tell anyone, I just wanted her to know that I could ‘see’ her, and I knew. She was ok with it. The kids eyes nearly fell out of her head!! She was about 17 and had never witnesses two psys communicating before, even though we needed a translator!! was quite funny.

So, what they think they know about me, I know. If they want me to fill in the gaps, they should have asked me nicely instead of putting me through this. . Like they should hire Gary McKinnon, not torture him.

Cover your ass/arse…The Search for Osama Bin Salsa….!!

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.
Leon Pannetta is now aware that this ‘covert surveillance’ has been going on for seven years? They pay a fee to anyone who bring them info regarding ‘alledged terrorist activity’ – this means recruiting young men at the mosque, to listen in and report back any antiamerican sentiment…some of these informants just use this just to get back at people/make money…as the Govt pays a fee for sometimes false info. Someone submitted false info about me, a Latin dancer from Chicago USA, its been a helluva ride that nearly killed me.

This blog allows me to see who looks at my blog,….this tells me who currently feels the need to cover themselves just in case any non-corrupt party decides the events detailed in my blog warrant a true and honest investigation…Lets remember, I was a housewife, who worked in a bank, waiting for her greencard in the US, for 20 years…and then I was falsely arrested twice at my home, they nearly killed me, held me in jail for four months, kept from legal and medical help, and then dumped in the UK…so I set up this website to document this insane but true story.

I can only guess someone, somewhere, is Very pissed off at me for speaking out about what has happened since I requested assistance from the US and British Govts, …most of whom have just ignored this situation, or directed me elsewhere, just hoping it will go away….

Thanks to the FOIA, yesterday I received a copy of my file from the FCO, the lies in it told by US Immigration to the British Govt are staggering, they were told that I was a fugitive, also that I faked illness on arrest on May 9, (I had a massive seizure, I wonder if agents Navarro, Youssif and Hatchett are willing to perjure themselves to please their bosses; in court will it be assumed that the paramedics are lying?) – and the most amazing thing is the sheer willingness of the British Govt to believe it all, because they absolutely are paralysed by their need to ‘go along with’ the US Govt.

What they don’t understand is that within the US Govt, are different warring factions, each will use a situation to their own end purpose. So, I dont imagine they are done screwing with me yet.

On the journey back to America, finally, there were Homeland Security people (two) at the UK end, (how unusual), and at the US O’Hare end the guard came straight over before the Immigration agent had a chance to summon him, she said ‘I didn’t press the button’ and he said ‘you will’ and she then acknowledged it from whatever was on the screen about me….and I was then escorted to the little pen, where they check people’s backgrounds. They then had a good laugh reading about the absolute hell this stupid Govt has put me through, because of their own incompetence, and then they acknowledged that my papers were legitimate, and had the nerve to tell me to keep my nose clean….

Also someone decided to write in the FCO notes that I seem mentally unstable, (thank you, my countrymen for your support as I went through this completely unnecessary hell) if that was the case, why did I not receive any treatment, in jail or since being in UK for ten months? you can’t have it both ways, either I am sane and telling the truth or this is all baloney…it is well documented that 80% of people incarcerated in US Immigration jails show signs of mental disorders, caused by their unnecessary incarceration. See the docs at http://www.Immigrationdetaineestories.wordpress.com.

The US failed to inform the British Govt that they had arrested me, they then told porky pies to cover the fact that they falsely arrested me, and have since told the British that I am a threat to national security, but not why they think that…so Great Britain was/is watching me, so is the US…all paid for with my 20 years of tax dollars. That’ll teach me to be frugal and careful with my money, or to save for a family that I can’t have now. They have wasted about 700K so far. Its tough being sane in an insane and paranoid world.

I wonder how many cops will again come trooping thru wherever I live, stumbling over my dance shoes again and again, in the quest for Osama Bin Salsa…which I am not.

I WAS LIED ABOUT: It was either my husband in his sheer greed to have the house bought with my money, or more likely, an upset ex-boyfriend who lied to the US Govt, trying to make me public enemy number 1, to hurt me, because I broke up with him, COS HE NEVER STOPPED WHINING…when he didn’t have any real problems!!…

During this past year, the Govt has spent about 750K detaining then deporting then investigating me, wasting manpower and tax dollars, etc, that could have been much better used to prevent crime and terrorist attacks against all of us. I learned all of the filthy things the US Govt does and what happens to people in power, they become mad. Demented prison guards and pencil pushers…..and possibly that a boyfriend with a broken heart can be extremely dangerous; its all about power and control.

It’s all beneath contempt. What did I learn from all this? don’t ever go out with an indian bus driver???? that the Govt is really the mess you think it is, and if doing this to me was ‘to keep us all safe’, then god help us all??

What the Hell is U Visa anyway? Oh yeah, victim of a Crime…

today at the US Embassy was terrible.

They offered to close the door for my ‘privacy’ – hello, they just locked me unnecessarily in a jail for four months where the dyke guards stripped me for their entertainment; I think I am over the privacy thing at this point. If I wasn’t as tough as I am, I would have killed myself by now, but today was a close call after the embassy. it seems so pointless in life to keep trying for an ordinary, happy life. But I will not
let them do that to me.

It was so ridiculous to be questioned about a rape that happened ten years ago; and to be told they can’t process my visa because 1) the computers are down, and 2) they want to ‘double check ‘ that the ‘waiver of deportability has been cleared by washington’ and they will ‘write to me’ – even though they are LOOKING AT THE WAIVER THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED.

I have been sitting in a room alone in the UK since being dumped in a country I have not lived in for 20 years, I had so much I would prefer to never remember about growing up in the UK. I have been forced to relive my nightmare childhood since being dumped here, (yes I saw a shrink in my twenties, dealt with all that crap and put it all behind me. Then I was falsely arrested, detained, tortured and got to watch others lives and minds being destroyed, in US Immigration jail – so now all that stuff is back in my mind, along with all the new traumatic events that I was forced through by USCIS/Homeland security. )

I was raped (1) in uk by my first employer, I got home and I knew to try to hide it from my violent unpredictable family, so my dad beat my head against the wall to find out ‘why I was upset’ – he did the same when I asked about whether I should go to college. There is your Ten O level candidate! (more than my MP, I guess) I didnt go on to college, unsuprisingly. My only thought was to get away from them. I had no clue how. When you grow up around angry violent people, it takes a long time to figure out who treats you well, and how important that is for your life and happiness, you can even marry people who treat you badly as you dont recognise it as such….

Who says Britain doesnt value its working class intelligent kids! My parents always threatened me that I couldnt tell anyone what happened in that house. Too late now.

This is the father that punched me in the chest and nearly killed me when I was a kid, (I was unconscious when admitted, check the records for the cottage hospital, its been demolished now) My mother is STILL a vicious cruel old woman who is losing it a bit, and still likes to physically attack me, so I don’t go near; whole family is very conflicted/damaged so I have made decision that no contact is best course of action to hang on to my own sanity. I owe them NOTHING, and I did way better without them for 20 years…..

My nieces and nephews tried to be pleasant and welcoming to this stranger that they remember spending time with them when they were little kids. I thank my nephew Graham, for trying to help me understand them, (and seeing this family all too clearly) and my nephew Sean, for trying to help me, but thanks to my mother, and her interference, I now cannot contact them. And they saw me immediately after I was locked in a jail for 108 days, and close to a breakdown, so I am sure they question my sanity. Its been like that film with Mel Gibson, Conspiracy Theory. But just like him, I’m telling the truth about what has been done to me. My sister knows because she contacted the jail from Australia every day, and they wouldnt even confirm they were holding me.

In liverpool recently I have been face to face with the man (schizo) that violently raped me and tried to kill me in the uk when i was 19, (number 2) He then may have murdered someone, (I did not see him do it, but? too many coincidences) and back then I had the courage (an and idealistic view of law enforcement I think) to go to the police and gave them statement – yet they couldn’t prove it, so he is still walking around, as dangerous as ever – so, is it really worth cooperating with law enforcement? if that man ever knew I gave a statement, I would be dead now. I take a chance writing this now.

In the USA from 1989 absolutely nobody wanted to be my friend unless they could get something from me; its a long ugly road for a lonely young woman, the night someone broke in and raped me (might have been number 3) I could actually reach the phone to hit him with it, but I knew already if I didn’t hit him hard enough he would kill me, so …you want to stay alive, so you wait it out….and he left and I had to go to work the next day…..and of course, my first husband left me high and dry – with Immigration issues, so I was afraid to press charges…

I know I was raped by another man in Chicago but I can’t remember all of that one(4)

I was then in a relationship with a man called Kenneth Rodgers, who was a Chicago Basketball coach. when I found I was pregnant (quite an accident) I told him, and he said if I had the baby he would get me deported or kill me. Wow.
I was very fortunate that I had a very supportive female friend T, who had been through a similar nightmare, she stood by me as I made the saddest decision of my life. Ken then wanted to talk to me, ( I was so desperately alone) he came around to my flat, he held me for a minute, then he dragged me into the bedroom and raped me,(5) saying he wanted to get me pregnant again. I knew if I fought he could really hurt me. He then sat on the end of the bed, and said he would come back later and take me to dinner. (insane) I was later told that he has done this to a number of women.

A few weeks later, he wanted to do it again, I ran from him and he battered me into my building, but I was screaming as loud as I could trying to get a witness, he was afraid he would be caught and he ran away. I made a police report and this is the rape that the U-Visa was based on, as I had the sense to get a stranger to take photographs of all of the bruising from the beating, and kept those pictures for fifteen years in a box, along with the police report.

So – after two legitimate marriages, two applications for a greencard, 20 years and finally the U Visa that was approved, but now they are stalling granting it, having to ‘check with Washington’ – I don’t recall anyone in Washington raping me, except metaphorically, to advance their career perhaps…. Maybe I missed something in all of this shit that this ordinary hard working woman tried to just get over and put behind her!

My friend mentioned above, T, once said, ‘dont ever try to count the times you’ve been raped’ and another friend said her mother told her ‘rape is not the worst thing a man can do to ya’ – which if you don’t identify with, you have either been extremely lucky, or you are a man.

So what is a U Visa for, if not to allow someone to get on with their life?

Aside: Does cooperating with Law Enforcement include being telephone harrassed by a police spokesperson a few years ago? I stupidly called in the anon harrassment and the calls were traced back to his home…that went nowhere.

My current husband Joel Carreon knew all this stuff, and we were together 7 years, I busted my ass to make that man happy and sorted out all of his legal messes, I made him rich and got him out of debt and through school…and I secretly hoped we would have a child eventually. Then 2 years ago he started to cheat on me with someone at his job, and then he decided he didnt need me any more…

He stood there and told me that he never wanted kids with me, he only wanted the house to impress his parents and he wanted me to move out. Away went any dreams I had of having a family. It was devastating.

It seems he found a shortcut to taking more than half of everything I worked for for twenty years, two days after I was arrested by US Immigration, my husband changed the locks and refused to assist me in any way, he probably thought I would die in Immigration stuff. But apparently all that drama made me one tough woman.

So, will US Immigration ever do right by me, and will they ever allow me to get on with my life and put all of this behind me, or will I have to rehash it forever to suit the authorities?

The stories I heard in Immigration jail make mine pale in comparison. One woman was raped by her father since she was a child, now she was being deported, while her little girls are with her parents….she was out of her mind with worry. I am not religious but I pray for her. But today, I will just try to find a reason to stay alive.

May 29 – I would like to thank the 5000 plus people who have now visited my blog. Be aware, what has happened to me, could happen to YOU. There were US born citizens in Immigration jail with me. It makes no sense at all.

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.

Blackwater…and the Evils of any Religion

Blackwater…and the Evils of any Religion

Picture: Do I look like a Terrorist to you??


Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.

From the Executive Suite at Charter One Bank to Immigration Jail.

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website. It maybe be keeping me alive.

From the Executive Suite to Immigration Jail Statement of JOSEEN Howarth-Gates-Carreon A070349296 Inmate 81002 McHenry Co Jail IL. Josieg6@hotmail.com 5/9/08

After 20 years and 2 marriages, waiting for my green card, I was awoken by beating on the door at 6.30am, I was in my bathrobe, Officers Youssif, Hatchett and Navarro pushed their way into my home and Navarro said he had a warrant for my arrest. They claimed I was a victim of identity theft to gain access to my home. I was then told I had to dress. Officer Navarro kept asking if there was a man in the house, I kept saying no, he was confused because my living room was set up as a gym. As I started to go upstairs, I had a seizure, they were not trained for this, as I came conscious Officer Youssif kept lifting my head, which sends the blood away from the brain, and so I seized again and again. They nearly killed me. When I did come to, Officer Navarro was leaning over me, my robe was open. The paramedics were called, they asked me if I could get dressed, I could not walk, I crawled up the stairs, Officer Youssif followed me, Navarro tried to, I told him to stay downstairs, (I was naked under my bathrobe) Youssif kept the bathroom door open as I dressed, I was asked if I had prescriptions that I needed, I put lexapro and lorazepam in my purse. Paramedics strapped me on the gurney, and they told Navarro that my blood pressure was still too low for me to walk so they had to take me in the ambulance to the hospital. In hospital I was put on an IV and oxygen, Navarro raced downtown to get a document. The paramedics refused to allow ICE to take me. I know if they had, I may have died in their care.

In the emergency room, because the ICE Officers were afraid that they had nearly killed me, they provided me an immigration parole document, which stated that because they had failed to deport me for seven years (during which time they had my solid true address and tons of communications back and forth, so this was a complete sham) I was given Immigration parole, with a check in date of 5/13/09. I would not sign it without my lawyer. They said I could talk to my lawyer after. Officer Navarro was yelling at me that he was doing me a favour; all 3 of them were leaning over me and screaming at me, harassing me while I was on oxygen and an IV in a hospital bed in the emergency room. Navarro literally put the pen in my hand and forced me to sign it. Navarro even said that I could go to work with this document. I was still half conscious. I consider this to be extreme circumstances, duress and harassment.

Next day I noticed a large scratch on my inner thigh and a handprint, from the episode on the stairs with Youssif, who had hold of my head, and Navarro who was leaning over me and had hold of my leg for some reason. I filed a complaint about this with the OIG for Immigration. I went home from the hospital and spent 48 hours lying on the couch, unable to function or think, as the seizure had done much damage. I have since lost sight during my time in McHenry jail, some hearing, and struggle for some words. I was not examined in jail despite requesting medical care.

5/15/08 I was then rearrested outside of my home by about five officers including the above 3 – Navarro was again yelling at me, asking where that parole document was, he needed it back; I said it was with my Lawyer, he asked where my passport was, I said it was in the house behind me, lets get it – he said Cuff her and put her in the van. I said I needed my medications, they said I would get them when I got downtown. Downtown they did an inventory of my purse, but would not acknowledge a £200 Macy gift card as valuable. They also took my Gucci Watch, worth £600. I never saw it again! I was taken to 101 W. Congress, I was told I could make a phone call, I continued to ask to speak to my lawyer.

The phone in the cell at 101 W. Congress did not work, and I could not reach anyone until I reached LAFMC 2 weeks later. I was double shackled, and had no food until 4pm that day – I immediately made the officers aware of my medical issues, physical and mental health problems requiring medication and treatment, also Vaso Vagal Syncope. They paid no heed and made no accommodation. I was on Ambien, Lexapro and Lorazepam; (in the middle of a terrible divorce, spouse wanted my house and everything, extremely stressful) they took these drugs, but NEVER gave them to me in jail. I was dumped in McHenry County Jail on 5/15/09.

My alien number was not programmed into the phone system for several days so I was denied phone calls. 5/22/08 – The ICE man comes to the cells once a week and you get one question. I requested from Juan Cruz the ICE representative a copy of my Immigration file, FOIA forms –he said get it from your attorney. JC said that someone said they would bring my passport down to the ICE office at 101 W. Congress, I asked who said that, he said my case officer said it, his name is Bukstead. My phone ID does not work consistently, all inmates are denied access, forms and information every day. We are given underwear that has body stains and blood on it from other inmates. The bras stink of body odor and are filthy. The food causes diarrhoea; I am covered in a rash on my neck and chest. It started as soon as I got here.

5/22-23, 24, 25 No Gym time no exercise – this happens all the time. Food trays very dirty, not sanitized. Food is barely edible; signs on the wall say expect to lose 15-20lb. I weighed 118lb on arrival. 5/23 – taken to Psychiatrist Dr. Corcoran – I asked my obligation to cooperate and if so, where does this information go/who has access. I was given no answer. I requested to speak to my attorney first. I was told this was the end of the conversation and sent out.

5/25- locked down in the evening, no reason given. We received instruction from Officer Huntsberry to ‘close the door’ over the microphone, so I closed the door, she then said that I must stay in all evening and that we all should know the rules by now. I explained that if I have not been given the rules, and ESL and ETL people cannot explain them to me, what I am supposed to do, she said tough. And so I was denied access to the telephone again, and to exercise. I was also refused commissary list or to order envelopes, writing materials.

5/28 – regular doctor – I asked my obligation to cooperate and where the info goes – He said I didn’t want to cooperate! I said that’s not it; I want to know where the info goes – He asked when I was last in hospital – I said 5/9 when I was arrested because I had a double seizure when I was arrested – he said any previous – I said yes, April 05. He said any hospitalization, I said yes, 1991, when first husband tried to kill me (I was about to give him a complete medical history) He said what injuries, I was trying to remember, I couldn’t think straight, (it was traumatic) He said get her out of here to the Guard. I said Wait, I have Vase Vagal Syncope – don’t you even want to take my blood pressure? He said ‘We are done’ and had Guard take me out. Next in was Dolores Maria Santos, she was allowed to weigh herself. I asked Guard, Doctor said I could not weigh myself.

5/29 – No exercise. 5/30 – Officer Broderick announced over the tannoy that he would ‘spank us’ 5/30- We send faxes – Officer said that his sergeant did not allow us to receive fax confirm sheets – we have NO WAY TO KNOW if our faxes to our legal counsel are actually sent.

5/31 – Still no notary – I put in a request on 5/27. Was at least six days before, to notarize and urgent request for FOIA request form to send off for my complete immigration file that shows I was IN STATUS at the time they placed me in Deportation Proceedings. I was told again that I could not receive the fax confirms – we have to trust them.

5/31 – Given 2nd TB Shot – was not given a choice – they said it was because they failed to check the results of the first one, done a day or two after I was dumped in McHenry (when I was so stressed I can hardly recall the events and what I was told) I asked if it was safe to have Multiple TB Shots, and would the Nurse like to take one with me? I did NOT see the needle come out of a clean sterilized package, so I do NOT know if it was a used needle. I may have been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis, etc?? 5/31 – no gym, gym always in use for something else.

6/1 – no gym, no library- no library for Three weeks now. Only if they can ‘fit it in’ they are ‘short handed’ 6/2 I needed to notarize request for a copy of my Immigration file. Still no notary. 6/3 I asked Notary Directly when he was in the cells for something else. He said ok. I had heard from Lawyer that only time jail would allow him to speak to me was on

6/3 at 1pm CST in the jail. 6/2 – I was woken at 4am, awake all night, cuffs ankle shackles, taken down to 101 W. Congress – as 12 noon CST – I told the duty officer (after banging on the cell door for hours to get his attention) that the only reason I was downtown was to prevent me from speaking to my lawyer at the jail – this Officer went and got Officer Bukstead, He had my file (HUGE) in his hands, it was stamped on the front in huge letters RUSH – he quickly flipped it over so I couldn’t see that – He said he needed me to fill out a passport application. I said I needed to talk to my lawyer first. He said no problem, and he called the wrong place. He said ok we will just keep you in jail and bring you back again next week. Placed in van double shackles small van space 2.5x4x4ft dark no light no air; it took from 3pm – 6.45pm for a 1.5hr journey – several stops for drivers to smoke, smoking by the door coming into my airspace.

So awake for 6am on 6/2 to – 10pm on 6/3, so awake for 40 HOURS. THEY DID THIS EACH TIME as a method of torture. With Vaso Vagal Syncope, this lack of sleep can be fatal. Complete disregard for my health and safety. JUNE 4,5,6 No Gym, no library as usual IMMIGRATION PREVENTED ME TO MEETING WITH ATTY FROM 5/13 – 6/9/08.

6/9 Kept awake again from 6am, taken downstairs at 11pm, kept awake all night again – shackled in bus with other prisoners, there were two large males (criminal?) in the women’s section of the bus, (Maria Delores Santos Client of Geoff Heeren in the same bus) Downtown put in a room at 101 W. Congress – waited until 10am, Officer Salazar took me to meet with Geoff Heeren Attorney at Law for LAFMC. Was not allowed to meet privately – Officer Salazar kept opening the door and interrupting, she wanted me to fill out a passport application. I wanted to cooperate fully but due to being kept awake, and being denied medication I was not in a fit state. I did not get to speak properly with my attorney at any time.

6/17 – DOG RAID IN JAIL – 5-6 officers from CERT made all of the female inmates lie on the floor face down. The dogs were walked over us. We were then told to stand, facing the walls, arms up, we were then patted down, (privates were touched) by female officer. We then went to the gym while 3-4 large German shepherd dogs and one Labrador dog were take through section 3 where women are housed. Dogs left smell, piss, dander and fleas.

WE ARE MADE TO CLEAN WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS AND NO GLOVES – we are made to clean the day room, phones, cells, public bathroom, windows sinks toilets every day with used newspaper and Chemical Sprays. GREEN CHEMICAL – manufacturer – Henry Cabay &Sons McHenry IL 1800-578-8763 ‘no care non acid disinfectant’ – active ingredients – .09 Benzyl Ammonium Chloride (safety notice on bottle – if it comes into contact with skin, wash with cold water for at least 20 minutes – it is a toxic spray. 0.09 Dimethyl Ethybenzyl Ammonium Chloride WHITE CHEMICAL – same manufacturer –

6/18/08 early Juan Cruz ICE representative, was in putting up all the signage regarding Immigrant rights that is supposed to be posted – 6/18/08 JULIE MYERS VISIT – then at 2pm – As I was writing this, Julie Myers entered the facility, with several guests in tow to show them around. She tried to engage four non English speaking prisoners in a conversation. I told her she could talk to me. (Most people were staying in their cells because it was SO COLD in the day room at that point) She sat down, and I asked who she was, she said ‘I’m Julie Myers’ I said what you do, she said ‘fine thank you’ I said, NO, WHAT YOU DO? She said ‘I’m Head of ICE’ -So I gave her a brief overview of some of the problems here, she said she would have her legal counsel Rafael Sanchez contact Geoff Heeren. After she left, I was asked to speak to Levon Temple, 770-841-6776 about ‘problems’ with the facilities, I said I would have Geoff Heeren contact him. His direct number is 240-357-6432, levon.temple@nakamotogroup.com

An immigrant’s rights group was to protest outside McHenry this day and I think the signage was ICE’ attempt to cover up the fact that they do not provide the required information to inmates. DUST – Every inmate has clogged noses, blood and snot each morning, now getting blood in my snot every morning, the vents have never been cleaned for years – sometimes there is a strong smell of cars/gasoline exhaust that is pumped in. This indicates the air input valve is in close proximity to either garage parking or working equipment of some kind. Margaret Thompson Inmate (Jamaica) has been here ten months, and has never seen any kind of cleaning being done other than by inmates as described above. Above a line on the walls, there is obvious orange dust, as the uniforms are orange, they are laundered onsite, and orange dust is somehow pumped back in with the air supply, and we get to breathe it in.

TB – Detainee Pong Young, Inmate Number 80153, collapsed on her way to court approx 4/28/08. She was in North-western Hospital, her medical record from the hospital shows that she had active TB and an enlarged heart. They gave her pills. I do not know if she took them. This medical record from North-western was later destroyed by the guards. I did fax a copy to Geoff Heeren for him to help Pong if possible. BIRD FLU – inmates are brought straight from the airport, some unable speak English straight from China. I am now covered in the same rash as everyone else, small red dots from my neck glands down, and larger yellow lumps that burst and leave scars. ASBESTOS – I have sample of the stuff that is sticking out of the doors in McHenry. It looks like asbestos. It is blowing around in this jail.

6/19 – Chen Feng Yung (speaks Chinese only) was told to sign a document, she was not allowed to read it, neither was I, it was a Custody Review, Fast Date, but it included her waiving her rights, she did not sign, she asked for them to send it to her lawyer, they said only if she signs it! Officer Bundy was witness to this.

6/20 – Maria Delores Aceves Santos, who said she is schizoaffective disorder, threatened me. I told officer Padgett she had threatened me, Maria is trying to get the other Mexicans to believe that I have been talking about them, and she said she can make a fall look like an accident. I was called into the Hallway, Officer Lowery told me she has accused me of discussing peoples business – I told him she does this each week to a different person, she was locked down last week for not taking her Schizo medication – I asked him how they can protect me. I was moved to a downstairs area and they said they would watch over me. Officer Padgett was a witness.

6/22 Sun – 11.30am, Nakamoto group interviewed 5 of us separately – they are contracted by ICE to clean/maintain the jails One inmate announced that ‘someone’ had been giving names, and she was going to ‘fuck them up’ This is an ongoing problem, in this braintrust. Everyone stupidly complained about the food. I complained that giving me underwear with blood on it and then giving me replacement undies from the same batch was not good. He wrote that I was ‘satisfied’ He also tried to trick me into saying I had received a satisfactory answer from ICE/J Cruz – I told him that I had asked for copies of my file, instead I was asked for my passport – I told him various people and one schizophrenic had decided to focus their anger on me, and I did not feel safe. I asked about the chemicals, and he said they were safe. Torture – watching others suffer: Susamma Matthews – again, no criminal record, and no charges at all, dragged from her home by 10-15 federal agents – along with her son – Susamma was 60 ish, Indian lady with high blood pressure and diabetes, so they wake her at 5am to record her blood pressure, it shows low, they take her blood sugar as soon as she has eaten, to show it is ok; the rest of the time because she is NOT OK she is either on the cold floor or on the bunk in her cell, unable to function. She has a urine infection they won’t treat, it progresses to a kidney infection, she is shaking and jolting with the pains inside her, and the guards will not do anything and punish me for asking for help for her. I made phone calls to the OIG hotline to get her help, telling them she would die if they did not do something. They wanted her to walk down the stairs, she couldn’t, (they are laughing when she is throwing up and falling down off the toilet onto the floor headfirst) With another inmate we walked in front and behind her so she did not fall down the stairs, we tried to carry her, the guard was annoyed, nobody told him he had to deal with this, he called for a wheelchair. They took her up to medical where she said they gave her antibiotics; she lost 10 pounds in 10 days..the day she walked back into the main cell, and she was woken at 4am and shoved on to the plane that night. She too had applied for her green card. Her file was marked RUSH too. She was told that her appeal had been denied because they had already purchased her airline ticket.

Pong Young – Pong had served time for heroin. She explained to me how that happened, she had five miscarriages and the last one was so painful with surgery that she took opium pills, which progressed to Heroin. On the way to downtown, a 2-4 hour van ride, she had a heart attack in the van while shackled, they had to take her to Northwestern Hospital (April 08) There they diagnosed active TB and an enlarged heart. She was given antibiotics by the hospital and put back into the main room with everyone else, including me. Her husband was a veteran, and ex military, she was being held because a law was passed in 2003 allowed DHS to detain anyone with criminal offences. She had lived in the US on a valid green card for at least 25 years. They told her when her husband called her, but would not let her talk to him. He told her that they would not allow him into the jail because his wheelchair didn’t fit the doorways so he could not visit her. He was diabetic, he slipped into a coma with no one to care for him, he came out, and tried to walk with a walker so that he could visit her, he couldn’t do it. She was woken in the middle of the night, and told she was going home. All excited after 3 months in this freezing hellhole, she left her papers in her cell. They put her in double shackles and drove her around for 12 hours, then lead her still shacked into a room, she said ‘where is this?’ It was a funeral home, they told her she cold not touch her husbands body. She was from Korea, and entitled to Asylum if they take away her green card. She has no one in Korea after all this time. Her home and her husband are gone. She is entitled to her husbands military and police pensions, but his family will not assist her, so she is likely deported to die in Korea.

I watched all of these people suffer under the physical conditions and mental duress put upon us in McHenry County Jail. AFFECTED CLASS IN MCHENRY – Susamma Matthews (India) denied correct medication, they nearly killed her. Her son Bobby – 352-281-5650 Pong Young Inmate 80153, A34392798, Jee Foo, Inmate 80522, A74654770 Kwhala Inshasi – released to Chicago after 90 days. Waiting for her greencard. Daniella Ulloa deported to

Patricia Zweydorff 81078 Mexican born, married to US Citizen, arrested at Final Marriage Interview, From Arizona Roomy Joseph dob 8/6/73 Arrested, 17 mths jail, released, told to come get her work permission, rearrested! Losing her mind. Margaret Thompson 76275 A835898665 (Margaret nearly a year in jail, she is the Jamaica inmate they spoofed at the party) Delores Maria Santos – diagnosed Schizo – Client of Geoff Heeren – over a year even though her case is complete, they will not release her. Leticia Garcia – deported to Mexico. Chen Feng Yung A94028835 – still in jail Chinese. Yi – Chinese. Maria Avelar Bahena – Mexican greencard holder – petty theft. Herado Guttierez 81297 (I was handed his medical request form along with Heather Derers by a guard. This complete lack of regard for each inmate’s safety and privacy is normal) Heather Derer 24454 LanaCrystallake@yahoo.com – was married to citizen yet deported to Ukraine. Nickname – Tin Tin – Mei Huang A99035217 – Chinese. Jessica Lea Jahn – Greencard holder, deported to Germany. Reachable on facebook.

The inmates here are worried that if they speak up or if I speak up, it will affect them negatively. Also there are some seriously paranoid people in here, who are constantly spreading rumours that I am trying to create trouble for inmates. Maria Delores Aceves Santos is trying to incite a riot against me she did not take her meds for ten days; Maria is not in her right mind, and constantly making trouble for someone, the guards are watching me because of her.

6/22/08 – Smoke from nearby fire visible from Cell window, coming in thru vents – every inmate can smell it. 6/23 – Constant harassment from MDA Santos (inmate) eventually I yelled at her in English – Officer cautioned me that if we can’t get along then one of us would get sent to Segregation. So I am housed with the mentally ill, and no protection is given, just threats. Officers cannot understand the constant verbal harassment in Spanish, I do. Roomy Joseph threatened to beat my ass, she is afraid that I am ‘giving names’ and she will be deported to Pakistan.

6/24 Leticia Garcia (served 4 yrs for drugs before being placed in Immigration jail) threatened me. 6/25 – 6pm Gave request to Officer Padgett to go to Law Library, he said ICE guys had access, he would check into it for me. 6/26- Augustina Trejo Hernandez Inmate 25036 signed a stipulated order of removal. Apparently we are supposed to be medically screened, weighed. It has not happened.

6/27 – New Request for Law Library – 4pm on ICE form – food so bad no fibre bowel blocked severely constipated. Officer Fruehe called me over the Intercom said 2nd Request wont speed up the 1st Request which is good for a week – so I said ‘it will be this week then?’ she said ‘we’ll try’ 3.40pm Asked Officer Padgett about the temp in the dayroom it is extremely cold, (we are all wearing two shirts inside the uniform top) 6/27 – I am in Extreme Distress – loud threats from Zoloft patient (Garcia) and Schizo patient (Santos), plus their friend Maria Avelar Bahena. We all try to ignore the screaming. Olivia Perham, of Indiana (Serbian), Jessica Jahn (Germany) witnesses, Olivia claims her mother in law knows the Indiana Governor. It has been arranged that I can go in my room anytime and lock down for my safety. Officer informed me upstairs, Officer Padgett aware also.

6/27 – Today NEW underwear was distributed for some reason (M Thompson said in previous ten months this has not happened) 6/28 – It has been absolutely FREEZNG in here for two days, officers say it is too hot up where they are – we are all wearing double clothing. 4pm called the OIG HOTLINE was transferred to Special agent Officer Torres, – I could hear his kids in the background – he said Heat request had to be between our lawyers and the jail (I told him that day that 31 women were freezing) He said contact Alex J. Pires, Washington DC 245 Murray Drive SE Bldg 410 Wash DC 20538. VISITATION DIFFERS FOR MEN THAN FOR WOMEN McHenry Men’s Visitation listed as Sun Tues Sat 12-1.30pm, 2.30-3.30pm, 6-9pm Mon 9-11am, 12- 1.30pm, 2.30-3.30pm, 6-9pm Womens Visitation hours: Sun 9-11am, Thurs 9-11am, 12-1.30pm, 2.30-3.30, 6-9pm Sat 9-11am 6/30 Officer Estrada said he would contact maintenance to fix the air, it is STILL FREEEZIG in here. 7/4 – 6.20pm – We had to request gym every day, and we were always told it was in use. Officer Fruehe announced that we had one minute to get ready to go to the gym room – this mean that up to 80 women tried to use the toilet in the dayroom at once…this gave the guard a laugh as they watched us on camera from the tower. They would only open the door for a minute, so I went through to the gym, and I requested to use the bathroom in the gym, I was told that if I wanted to go, I would have to go back to the main dayroom, and then I would not be allowed back to the gym. The day room was EXTREMELY cold, to avoid the freezing air, the Mexican girls were huddled together under the cell balcony, Officer Fruehe told them they were not allowed to sit there, and then she marched towards one girl and said to her ‘get out of my way’ ( Fruehe is not right in the head, this lady needs a psych exam) 7/4 Officer Lieutenant Lucas Sylvester.

7/4- Officer Taylor told me that he KNOWS nobody gets 5 hrs a week Law Library (what we are entitled to) after I requested of the IL Jail Standards. He said some of the people he works with are assholes. He said the reason we are not allowed to use the bathroom in the gym is because they cannot see it. I put written request to Officer Lusa/Sylvester and JC for a copy of IL Jail Standards, County Jail Standards and a list of the Detainees Rights documentation that we are all entitled to. I also put in a written request asking when was the AC in the jail last cleaned by a professional service? I WAS MOVED TO DODGE COUNTY JAIL AT NIGHT SOMETIME JULY 7- on arrival at Dodge Co, officer Harkins announced ‘these illegals just come here to claim benefits’ I was the only one in the van, a solo journey to move me further from assistance. 7/18 Denied Medical Care – I put in medical request form for half a pill of my anxiety medication…I was under extreme stress and hardly functional. Nothing came.

7/21 – Dodge Co. Doctor, (Pilipino) checked my rash, at first he said Prednisone, a steroid, then he said maybe it is caused by a virus (he did not speak to me directly, or clearly at all, and was not available for any questions) he basically looked at my shoulders and neck and said Chicken Pox, Shingles? He said he would give me Acyclovir, – I asked to know the side effects before I take it – Nurse said she would copy the Contraindications for me at Med-Pass. I did tell the doctor that this started after one week in McHenry, starting in my throat, ears, skin of neck and down across my chest, I thought it was something I ingested at McHenry; I also had diarrhoea at McHenry from when I arrived – Doctor appeared to ask Nurse’s opinion of the rash. I requested oral antibiotics for the pus-filled bumps. The Doctor named Ramana, at first said he thought it was herpes, (on my neck? After no physical contact with anyone?)

7/23 – 400 MG Acyclovir twice daily; Araceli Llamasolis is denied commissary each week even thought she has 20 USD in her account. She was deported later that week. 7/26 – I put in a written request they address moving C. Johnson ASAP to her federal prison assignment, as she is a danger to others! She has been trying to bully and harass me constantly and I have irregular heartbeat and a seizure disorder so this could be life threatening stress. Officer Covington suggested I lock myself in my cell. Covington then came back to me and said that she felt that there would be ‘issues’ with Ms. Johnson, and so she was going to move me to a different pod.

7/26 – was moved to Pod H – communal, no private cell as required for a Federal Detainee – one inmate has a serious skin infection, we are all in same room/shower all day, we are not given exercise time at all. 7/30 – Moved Back to Pod A – Guards say they have no records of threatening behaviour towards me by C. Johnson. They suggest I stay locked in my room. I am still covered in septic looking lumps, filled with pus – Acyclovir not working. 8/2 – Law Library Granted! 8/8 Library Granted – I put in a written request EVERY DAY as I did at McHenry. 8/7 – last day of medication – 8/8 Original Nurse asked about the rash, I told her again I NEED ANTIBIOTICS!!

8/10- Officer stated that I had filed a grievance about medical treatment – I said no; I had been requesting treatment – they said they had no record of it – So I agreed to write out ANOTHER MEDICAL REQUEST – done, submitted. 8/ – was given phone number for my sister, in Australia who has been calling the jail supervisor. The number he gave me will not go through from the inmate phone. I explained to the officers that it would not go through, they said ‘the number on the wall for international is wrong’ – I gave the number to Geoff Heeren LAWYER 8/11 Granted law library.

8/15 – Officer Bublitz said that I had a minor rule violation for exercising in the dayroom; I was put in 24 hour lockdown. I addressed this with a grievance against this officer, whom I believe retaliated against me because he had to deal with C. Johnson, when she was aggressive toward me, and he is also afraid of her. They are both6ft plus and a good 250…hers is more muscle though; I will say that for her. I put in a med slip regarding my exercise needs because I have Heart murmur, stress,Vaso vagal syncope, I must stay as fit as possible with this blood pressure disorder; I AGAIN REQUESTED A COPY of the ICE DETAINEE standards, rules and regulations. I was then told that Dancing is disruptive and jumping jacks are dangerous. This from a bunch of fat prison guards! 8/15 – Inmate Cynthia Johnson announced to the room ‘you know I don’t like you cos you do witchcraft’

8/15 Officer Zaingl said she was surprised I obeyed the lockdown, cos it was ‘a bullshit ticket’ 8/18 After law library I was told by Officer Streekstra (tall fat black hair) that I cannot print my research if there is no money in my account (officer Pieper was witness to this seated at the desk) I told her that ICE Detainees do not pay for their printing needs for legal stuff they are entitled to. She continued to tell me I couldn’t print and tried to get me to sign to pay for my printing. Officer Streekstra also took the crutches away from One Legged Detainee Rosario Lemke. 8/18 – Verbal warning regarding saving document in the law library.

8/18 – Verbal warning regarding touching. 8/19 – Jail Supervisor Rick called me over the intercom, he said my sister Yvonne had called the jail; He said he had told her I was ok. 8/19 – Dr. Ramana gave me doxycycline, and after some hard discussion with this useless fucker, he said I could have prenatal vitamins as my seizure disorder requires that I maintain good levels of iron calcium and other vitamins to avoid having a seizure. The nurse present was Roxanne. 8/19 – Officer Thieme gave me a copy of ht Decision to Continue Detention. 8/19 – At Med Pass, thru the door, the Doctor issued Doxycylcine, 100mg x 2, plus benadryl; (I told him this rash does not itch!) I declined the Benadryl; Nurse said he had not prescribed the vitamins she would look into it. 8/20 The nurse asked if I remembered what the Doctor had said – she gave me the vitamins, but didn’t believe me.

8/22 I made medical request to add Acyclovir back to my meds to continue possible treatment of this rash/disfigurement of my skin that won’t go away. 8/22 – 10.30am I was brought to the Library to meet with Immigration Investigator Charles Scoles – Officer Harkins was present. This was regarding my complaint about my treatment that I had filed with Eileen Dunne at the British Embassy. He had a copy of it in front of him. I requested that my attorney be present before I answer any questions. I asked what the questions were, he said he didn’t have to tell me or talk to me. I asked if Eileen had copied that request to my attorney, Chuck Scoles would not answer. I was escorted back to dayroom cell; I called Geoff Heeren to leave him a message regarding this attempted meeting.

8/22 Nurse Roxanne at Medpass said doctor will see me in two weeks, she said the rash is from ‘stress’ I was requesting Blood tests; she said they will not do blood tests. DISEASE – in McHenry on 15th May, by 22nd broke out in rash all over my neck, chest, shoulders back throat, no treatment in McHenry – when moved to Dodge, 15 days Acyclovir, – no tests – now 15 days Doxycycline, Nurse Roxanne said they will NOT do any tests – there are new Pus filled lumps on my body every day. WI Administrative Code Doc 350-21 Communicable Disease Control – states lab screening should be provided! 8/22 I left a message for GHeeren, I need statements from the Ambulance Crew from May 9, 2008 who took me to Cook County Hospital.

8/23 – 6.10pm – Officer Vukovich and Officer Rhode said he could not put the television in the dayroom on, that I should be ‘bonding with these women’ These people are child molesters, heroin dealers and serious repeat offender alcoholics. 

8/24 11.45am I have been unable to call Australia my sister from the Jail phone – Officer Supervisor Mark Schwarz called me out to the desk, he was very nasty, he said he was giving me instructions for the phone to make an International Call; what he actually said was that ‘I already knew how to call Australia’ (so I still didn’t get ‘how to call my sister’ from this phone, cos I still don’t have the correct way to do it, and so still cant call her) He then read from one of my calls, from a monitor on the desk, saying that I had been using the law library to write letters to friends, and that I had told a caller that the officers don’t read more than the first page of my legal letters’ I told him these letters even if addressed to friends were to be forwarded to attorneys in an attempt to obtain new legal counsel, consequently they are still privileged legal communications, and I thanked him for admitting that they had violated my privacy in front of witness Officer Pieper (again.)

8/24 – RETALIATION _ I was refused law library by Officer Knoll. 8/24 later given law library by same officer, (game playing to hurt my mental state) then he insisted on charging me for copies.) I told him again, that ICE does not pay for printing. 8/25 – During law library Officer Zaingl came in to library and told me that I had to get out of there so that someone could take a phone call, she wanted me to leave my legal notes. I said no thanks, and picked them all up. She was insistent and said no problem, you can leave them, this call won’t take a minute, and no one will touch them. I said NO THANKS and took them back to the dayroom with me. Apparently while I had been in the library, Zaingl had searched my room for something, and then tried to get me to leave my notes so that they could do something with them? Apparently, according to other inmates, C Johnson the lunatic heroin dealer has been telling the Officers that I am hiding something. So an ordinary person who was arrested in error is being harassed by Jail personnel at the behest of a convicted heroin dealer. A friend  sent me stamps, the jail took them. So I sent a letter to a friend to mail on to my sister, so eventually my sister in Australia will have my contact info. (I now know that my mail from when I arrived at Dodge was not received by the recipients; in jail you cannot keep copies.) 

 Law Library at Dodge Does not have Lexus nexus 3 & 4 loaded, you cannot do the full legal research that you are allowed to do as an Immigration Administrative Detainee. 8/26 – taken to Fox Valley to be fingerprinted for my U Visa Application. I was in squad car cuffed with male offender also cuffed but able to reach me, touch me. ON the return van journey, I was in with 4 males, cuffed but able to reach me, criminal offenders; one was a double homicide, served 11 years, Juan Vasquez. 8/26 was shut off Law Library Computer; Officer Donegan read my letter to my attorney. I told him it was confidential and privileged legal mail.

9/2/08 woken in the night, made to sign documents stating that all of my possessions have been returned to me, yet the stamps and paper sent to me by RT are missing, I am handled roughly I am pushed into the van. Taken to Broadview, filmed all day, I am the only detainee filmed. Officer says this is to show that ‘I am being well treated’. I am kept awake from 2am on 9/2 through 9/4 midnight. I was not told I was being deported. Another inmate was able to call her daughter (phones don’t work for my Alien number, this is deliberate) and she contacted my friend who brought me cash. During attempted Deport, I am placed in a van to take me across the tarmac to the airplane, the Luggage mover from United crashed into the ICE vehicle on the tarmac, gave me whiplash; I was taken to hospital, Resurrection Medial Center, under the name Josmen Howath. My purse with the money is taken by Valencia Amaro, I am then taken to a jail cell with no blanket to spend the night in pain. I am woken at 6am to be taken back to Broadview, then at 3pm I am taken to be put in the van again, I ask to count the money in my purse and get a receipt, I get a receipt that says ‘Unknown amount’ when I assert myself saying I want to count it in front of two officers and get a real receipt, I am physically threatened ‘move’ (if I had not moved towards the van they would have pushed me on to the floor – there was no camera this time!! I am again in the van for a 2.5 hr ride to Dodge County where I arrive at 6pm approx. I am in the same side of the van with male offenders, one has time for double murder. This is extremely stressful, I am afraid for my life.

From talking to Inmates it appears that Green card Holders have been receiving larger sentences, for things like DUI, in order that they can be deported for having a sentence of one year or more… On arrival at Dodge, I am taken to change clothing, back into prison garb, female officer makes a point to inspect me naked, to demean me. I have never been out of custody, sight or not filmed for the last 30 plus hours. 9/10 Repeat of Deportation, kept awake from 2am the night before, in transport to Broadview, I was not told until I demanded to know that I was being deported that evening…My watch was missing from my purse when I got the purse back. In the evening 3 officers inc. Valencia Amaro drove me to Chicago Ohare, sat around me on the plane, when we arrived at passport control in UK, they were surprised that there was no one from the authorities there to meet me, I explained to them that I was Not a Criminal of any kind…

My thanks to every idiot named above, who felt the need to ‘serve their country’, and to Bob@bob.com who sent me the lovely email below, which turned out to be helpful actually.

:Torquemada (Julie L. Myers, George Bush bunny) unmasked…this is the lady I begged for Help…not knowing this was her way to advance her career in Washington.

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.
Orin Kerr, September 25, 2005 at 1:39pm The Julie Myers Nomination, And Its Critics:
In the last week, Michelle Malkin, Red State, the National Review, and many other conservative blogs and bloggers have harshly criticized the nomination of Julie L. Myers to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (aka ICE). The basic theme of the criticism is that Myers is a political crony: she’s only 36, she’s the niece of the outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and her husband is Michael Chertoff’s chief of staff. Someone who has used her connections to get such a important job shouldn’t be confirmed, the thinking goes.

Read it all at : Volokh Conspiracy

Now read the comments:
The problem with cronyism in the Bush context isn’t what he may be doing for her but what she may do in return. This administration is famous for its code of silence and strict loyalty demands. This choice suggests loyalty is the priority in hiring and that with this selection we’re watching the obstruction of transparency and the defense against whistle-blowing in action.
9.25.2005 9:34pm
(link)John Jenkins (mail):
Just as an aside, are there any administrations notorious for their disloyalty and publicly airing their dirty laundry, or is this just another one of those things that the adherents to the out-of-power party always pull out while out of power?

Isn’t loyalty something to be cultivated and rewarded?
9.25.2005 9:43pm
(link)cfw (mail):
I would also note, in support of turning to an outsider, that the INS under DOJ had a pretty shady reputation as of 1993 or so, at least in LA. Also, the immigration folks did not cover themselves with glory in events that led up to 9/11. So outside blood may have made sense.

(link)JB:
I just wanted to mention that all of those integral positions she held at DHS, Commerce, and the White House have been in the last 4 and a half years. Meaning, on average, she’s spent about 18 months in these three highly important positions. Now, it could be that she was so brilliant in each of these positions that she was repeatedly pushed up the ladder. What seems more likely is that this very politically connected person was hop-scotching from one opportunity to another to build her rolodex.

9.26.2005 1:30pm
(link)Annon:
I know her, I worked with her as a Fed Prosecutor, We both worked on low-level cases (drug mules) together, then she left to go to D.C., her Federal prosecution experience is next to nothing (maybe 2yrs at most), She is only qualified if you believe (like I do) that these jobs amount to nothing anyway.
9.30.2005 5:40pm

PICTURE ONLY: Do I look like a terrorist to you??

do ya think maybe somebody lied about me, for all this crap to happen?

do ya think maybe somebody lied about me, for all this crap to happen?

Thanks to http://www.condron.us for this website.

NY, NJ immigration raids violated rights

By DEEPTI HAJELA, Associated Press Writer Deepti Hajela, Associated Press Writer – 30 mins ago
NEW YORK – Immigration agents raiding homes for suspected illegal immigrants violated the U.S. Constitution by entering without proper consent and may have used racial profiling, a report analyzing arrest records found.

Latinos made up a disproportionate number of the people arrested who were not the stated targets of the raids, and many of their arrest reports gave no basis for why they were initially seized, said the report, which was based on data from raids in New York and New Jersey.

The Immigration Justice Clinic at Yeshiva University’s Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law analyzed home raid arrest records from Immigration and Customs Enforcement offices in Long Island and throughout New Jersey. The clinic, founded last year, represents indigent immigrants facing deportation.

Its report, released Wednesday, said that since ICE agents use administrative warrants — instead of judicial warrants, which give law enforcement unfettered access — they must have a resident’s consent to enter a home or else violate the constitutional right to protection against unreasonable searches.

On Long Island, 86 percent of arrest records from 100 raids between January 2006 and April 2008 showed no record of consent being given, the report found. In northern and central New Jersey, no record of consent being given was found for 24 percent of about 600 arrests in 2006 and 2007, it found.

Peter Markowitz, director of the clinic and one of the authors of the report, said raids often are carried out with great force, with immigration officials pushing their way into homes in pre-dawn or late-night hours.

The raids are ostensibly aimed at targeted individuals who present threats either to national security or community safety, but arrests of illegal immigrants nearby, known as collateral arrests, are also made.

While the report only analyzed data from two states, it said the pattern suggested the problem was nationwide. It listed examples from California, Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, Georgia and other places.

A federal judge in Connecticut last month ruled that federal agents violated the constitutional rights of four illegal immigrants in a 2007 raid under similar issues. The judge ruled the immigration agents went into the immigrants’ homes without warrants, probable cause or their consent, and he put a stop to deportation proceedings against the four defendants.

“The widespread illegality by a law enforcement agency should be kind of shocking to anybody,” Markowitz said.

In a statement, ICE said its agents uphold the country’s laws.

“We do so professionally, humanely and with an acute awareness regarding the impact enforcement has on the individuals we encounter,” it said.

The agency said it also had a mandate to pursue all illegal immigrants, whether targeted or not. A spokesman for the agency declined to comment further.

The agency has about 100 Fugitive Operations Teams around the country; in fiscal year 2008, the teams made more than 34,000 arrests.

The report also found that Latinos were a disproportionate number of collateral arrests. In both New Jersey and on Long Island, two-thirds of the targeted detainees were Latino. But 87 percent of collateral arrests in New Jersey were Latino, as were 94 percent of the collateral arrests in Long Island.

Collateral arrest records can indicate why the person was seized and questioned. But the report found that almost all of the records that didn’t contain that information were for Latinos taken into custody. The report said that supported community complaints that Latinos were targeted for arrest simply because of how they looked or how well they spoke English.

The report makes several recommendations, including limiting the use of home raids to a last resort for targets who pose a serious risk to national security or have violent criminal records; the use of judicial rather than administrative warrants, and the videotaping of all home raids.

It also calls for the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General to conduct an investigation.

“These are violations that go to the very heart of the Constitutional expectation of privacy in this country,” Markowitz said.

Hussam Mohammed Amin: Former Iraqi Weapons Monitor Describes U.S. Abuse For First Time

Check this Huff Post investigative report out. It shows how prisoner abuse/torture was applied to innocents and how upper echelons were directing it and tried to cover it up. The report was up for only a few hours before being replaced this morning. Could it be too controversial? It is the best reporting I’ve seen.- courtesy of WatchTVGetStupid – poster at Huffington Post.

Hussam Mohammed Amin: Former Iraqi Weapons Monitor Describes U.S. Abuse For First Time
Michael Bronner | Huffington Post Investigative Fund
First Posted: 07-23-09 03:25 PM | Updated: 07-23-09 06:49 PM

CommentsBy Michael Bronner
Special to the Huffington Post Investigative Fund

Major General Hussam Mohammed Amin, named the “Six of Clubs” on the Bush Administration’s card deck of “Iraq’s Most Wanted,” had, perhaps, the most impossible job in pre-war Iraq.

Reporting to Saddam Hussein’s powerful deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, Amin was the man in the middle through 12 years of fractious international weapons inspections between the two American wars — Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom — charged with managing the cat-and-mouse between Saddam and the aggressive teams of United Nations weapons inspectors. He visited the U.N. in New York a dozen times over the years with Iraqi delegations, and his white-mustachioed face was well known to anyone following the weapons fray.

In December 2002, as the prospect of war grew increasingly inevitable, Amin coordinated Iraq’s “full and final” disclosure of chemical, biological and nuclear programs to the U.N. Iraq produced a 12,000-page declaration–12 CD-ROMs and 43 spiral-bound volumes — that would be devoid of revelations, Amin told reporters, “because Iraq is clean of weapons of mass destruction.” He made one of his last public appearances at a Baghdad press conference two months later, in March 2003, as American troops massed on the Kuwaiti border.

As war rolled over the Iraqi regime, Amin disappeared from view. The only public information about him since was the announcement by U.S. Central Command that he was captured “on or around” April 27, 2003.

After the Iraqi insurgency began to dominate the news and the U.S. government figured out that Amin had essentially been telling the truth about WMD all along, the mechanical engineer was largely forgotten, except for sporadic interrogations about the Saddam regime. He was held without charges for nearly three years.

Amin’s story of his incarceration, related here for the first time, offers another instructive chapter in the scandalous history of detainee treatment — one that encompasses both physical torture and the more subtle moral quandary of leaving prisoners to languish indefinitely without any meaningful legal process, the status quo for prisoners at U.S. detention facilities in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. It again raises key questions the Obama Administration has yet to fully answer as it assumes control of America’s unconventional wars: How can it square urgent, real battlefield needs with the rule of law and the spirit of the nation’s ideals?

Story continues below Hussam Amin’s story is not one the Bush Administration meant to be heard, at least not for a while.

“I am sorry,” Amin said, rebuffing me when I reached him, through a series of intermediaries, in the country of his exile far from Iraq. “We signed a paper, at the prison when we were released, [agreeing] not to talk to any media, or not to say anything. I am sorry,” he said again. “I am a refugee now.”

The “paper at the prison” Amin feared was his “Conditional Release Agreement” with Multinational Forces-Iraq, the U.S.-led military command, barring former prisoners from making political statements “inside or outside Iraq” for 18 months after their release, which also required the bond of a family member.

A few days later, however — a few hours before my overnight flight back to New York — Amin let me know that he would be sitting at a small coffee shop in his neighborhood. He’d be wearing a gray shirt, he said. He asked that I not bring along any Iraqis, or disclose his whereabouts.

“I do not tell this story, ever to anyone,” said the tentative, physically diminished 57-year-old man, crushing out a cigarette as we settled into a booth. But over the next several hours, Amin did tell the story, with an unsettling mix of humor, irony and anger.

Eventually Amin would entrust me with one of the few things he managed to take with him when he was quietly released from custody just before Christmas in 2005: 40 pages of an illicit diary he kept during his captivity at Camp Cropper, the U.S.-run prison for “high value detainees” near Baghdad– the only first-person account to emerge so far from the war’s secret-most cells.

The Black Bag: ‘Now I will die’

In Amin’s telling, the weeks immediately following the invasion found him moving furtively around Baghdad, dogged by overtures from an Iraqi-American physician rumored to be working with the CIA, offering, through relatives, to help Amin turn himself in. Then, on April 12, 2003, Amin’s friend and former colleague, chemical engineer Amer al-Sa’adi (the “Seven of Diamonds” on the card deck, also a high-profile liaison to the U.N. before the war), made a gallant public surrender, declaring before news cameras that he would prove to America that Iraq had been honest all along. Amin made what he calls a patriotic decision to join al-Sa’adi and arranged a meeting.

Amin was given the address of a house in the Karada section of Baghdad, from which he was taken in a small convoy of cars to a former presidential site in Ramadi and turned over to the U.S. military. There, he said, he was interrogated for several hours by a “respectful, logical and professional” American colonel with a “good background” on Iraq’s prior WMD programs. Afterwards, he said, he and the colonel shared lunch.

It was shortly after lunch, Amin said, that he was suddenly overwhelmed by soldiers, his hands and feet bound and a black bag pulled over his head. They hustled him away to a Saddam-era base that U.S. forces used as the first stop for their top prisoners.

Lt. Gen. Hussam Amin, of the Iraqi National Monitoring System, left, speaks with Hans Blix, chief U.N. weapons inspector, right, at Saddam International Airport in Baghdad, Iraq, Nov. 20, 2002. Blix and about a dozen U.N. officials were leaving after a two-day visit to Iraq in which they discussed the inspection process with Iraqi officials. (AP Photo) Camp Nama was run by a secretive U.S. Joint Special Operations task force, and was off-limits even to most military personnel. Those who did have access retained operational anonymity — few knew even each other by their real names. The CIA would eventually become worried enough about being associated with what went on there that it barred employees from setting foot inside.

His senses swimming in the suffocating blackout bag, Amin couldn’t anticipate where the next blow was coming from, he said — or whether it would be a punch, a kick or a whack with “some kind of special metal stick” as unseen interrogators demanded the location of nonexistent weapons. He lost track of time, unsure whether he’d been there hours or days. At some point amid the fusillade, he was told that he would be executed. He believed it. He felt blood running down his face and neck — three jagged gashes across his forehead that would require stitches. “Every day, I thought, ‘Now, I will die,’” he said — which was precisely the point: He was in “Purgatory,” the task force’s nickname for the initial interrogation/disorientation ordeal.

At some point his captors briefly removed the bag. He was ordered to lie on his side and keep his eyes fixed to the wall inches from his face. It hurt to breathe. He tucked his head in and snuck a glance at his chest: It was black with bruises. Each time he nodded off, one of his minders would kick him or hit him with the stick. “Even when you are sleeping, they beat you,” he told me, shaking his head slowly. “You wake by punching.”

For Amin, Purgatory would last five days, he said, after which he was packed off to Camp Cropper, a large prison near Baghdad Airport holding thousands of detainees, and logged into a solitary cell.

Some details of Amin’s account could not be directly confirmed, but they are consistent with later news reports and recent interviews about widespread abuses of prisoners at Camp Nama in the early months of the war. What occurred at the secret prison represents something of an overlooked angle to the ongoing torture debate, which has focused on the more exotic CIA techniques, like waterboarding, used on al-Qaeda prisoners. In Iraq, it is those captured by the U.S. special operations teams who allege the most severe treatment.

“That was standard procedure when they were grabbed by special forces,” said Rod Barton, an Australian bioweapons expert who was one of the senior advisors to the CIA from the Iraq Survey Group, the team sent by the invasion force to hunt for WMD after the invasion. “Purgatory was official policy, not the result of a few undisciplined soldiers, and in that regard it was most disturbing…What the special forces were doing was physical. They were hitting people — at least. This goes beyond psychological torture.”

The U.S.-led special operations task forces in Iraq included a melange of military and non-military players including the 75th Ranger Regiment, the 2nd Ranger Battalion, Navy SEALs, Delta Force, Special Forces, British Special Air Service (SAS), Polish Special Air Service, CIA, DIA, FBI, Marine Corps recon troops and Blackwater contractors, according to one former task force member who spoke to me at length about his experience with the unit.

Barton, who had long experience as a weapons inspector in Iraq (which included extensive interactions with Amin in his capacity as U.N. liaison), told me he first realized something was deeply wrong while reviewing files of other former weapons scientists held at Camp Cropper. People he’d interviewed over a decade of U.N. inspections were unrecognizable in the mug shots taken when they were logged into Camp Cropper.

Barton recalled two January 2004 briefings (also recounted in his 2006 book, The Weapons Detective) in which Maj. Gen. Keith Dayton, military commander of the Iraq Survey Group, inquired about bruises and abrasions visible on detainees’ faces after viewing slides that included the induction photos. Dayton was told the detainees were injured “resisting arrest.” In reality, Barton said, they’d been through Camp Nama.

Charles Duelfer, the chief U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq, also dealt with Amin extensively before the war. “He was a quiet, thoughtful, beleaguered guy,” Duelfer said, likening Amin’s job to that of a Hollywood continuity supervisor — charged with keeping track of every detail in the script, guarding against inconsistencies and struggling to mitigate those that inevitably emerged. “His headaches were enormous. Any little discrepancy we’d come across, he’d have to sort that out.”

The peril associated with a slip was significant: After contending with the inspectors by day, Duelfer said Amin then had to report to Saddam’s Special Security Organization, the elite intelligence service tracking every detail of the inspectors’ activities, as well as the inspectors themselves.

Senior technocrats like Amin could have been relatively easily induced to cooperate without being abused, or even arrested, Duelfer believes. He said he made an effort to get some detainees including Amin released. He was unsuccessful. “The same quality of intelligence that went into the miscalculations about Iraqi WMD went into creating the stupid blacklist of people to be captured,” he said. “It was almost like they made a list of every Iraqi whose name they knew. Some of them were people who opposed Saddam and could have been really helpful to us, but they’d end up in prison and you couldn’t get them out.”

A spokesman for Special Operations Command, Kenneth McGraw, declined to comment on Hussam Amin’s case, other than to say the command has “no record of an allegation” from him. He said that from April 2003 to date, 68 members of Special Operations forces have been disciplined for detainee abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan combined.

Yet the accumulated evidence shows that violence was systemic in these kinds of interrogations at Camp Nama and other facilities.

Stories about what was happening at Camp Nama began circulating later, after the military responded to the welling Iraq insurgency by expanding operations at the base. Interrogations were conducted in “the ‘Black Room’…a windowless, jet-black garage-size” cell where “some soldiers beat prisoners with rifle butts…and, in a nearby area, used detainees for target practice in a game of jailer paintball,” according to a 2006 report by the New York Times. A Human Rights Watch report from the same year includes whistle-blowing soldiers’ descriptions of physically abusive interrogations “of hundreds of anonymous, and often innocent detainees” at Camp Nama and other facilities in Iraq, noting that a policy of abuse was “apparently built into the interrogation regime.”

That was corroborated to me by another American covert operator who served in Iraq during this time and has first-hand knowledge of the facilities and methods. “There were all kinds of teams operating under all kinds of rules,” said the man, who spoke on condition that his name and U.S. government employer not be identified. “If, for example, the CIA wanted something done that fell outside its guidelines, it would get another group to do it that could.”

Which groups had what rules, and who approved them? It’s hardly just a history lesson. America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continue to revolve around the capture of people on CIA and Special Operations “blacklists.”

Isolation: ‘I felt I was lucky’

At Camp Cropper, Amin no longer was beaten, but he found himself in a void. His cell, he said, was fetid, dark and airless, one corner doubling as a urinal. He had no bed for the first five months, only a blanket and a crushed water bottle for a pillow. Detainees weren’t allowed to shower or shave; Amin showed me with a hand how long his beard grew.

These descriptions were nearly identical to those of another former Cropper prisoner I’ve interviewed who was detained during that period, as well as those of intelligence personnel who visited the camp. “Cropper was a really, really horrible place, in the early days in particular,” one Iraq Survey Group member acknowledged during a recent background discussion.

In his cell, Amin could hear the roar of planes from the nearby airport, and then, more and more, the war. Six months into his incarceration, he bent over surreptitiously squirreled sheets of Red Cross tablet marked “Family News Only” and began to write his prison diary. As the pages accumulated, he hid them in his cell. The entries, varying in length from a few lines to a few pages, range from banal to arresting.

It would be more than a year before Amin was permitted to mix with or talk to his former colleagues, fellow inmates at Camp Cropper. “When this segregation was lifted…we were congratulating each other as if we were out of the prison itself,” he noted in his diary.

Amin then learned he was not the only one to go through Purgatory. “Inside the prison I saw injured colleagues…who were barbarically tortured,” he wrote later, citing several by name. “When I heard my friends’ stories, I felt I was lucky because I stayed [in Camp Nama] only [five] days and the level of torture was less than what they suffered.”

While Amin and others were sitting in their cells, the U.S. District Court in Washington on July 7, 2003, issued one of the clearest definitions to date regarding torture in Iraq. The historical irony: The case involved not Iraqis in U.S. detention, but rather American servicemen who had been held by Saddam Hussein’s regime during the first Gulf War.

The case, Acree v. Republic of Iraq, is named after retired Marine Col. Clifford Acree, who was taken prisoner and horrendously beaten after his OV-10 “Bronco” aircraft was shot down over Iraq on July 17, 1991. Acree suffered a fractured skull and broken nose, and lost 30 pounds during the ordeal. He and 16 other American POWs filed suit in 2002, naming as defendants the Republic of Iraq, the Iraqi Intelligence Service and Saddam Hussein.

Awarding the plaintiffs combined damages of $959 million, the court noted among other things that “the torture inflicted included severe beatings, mock executions, threatened castration, and threatened dismemberment. The POWs were systematically starved, denied sleep, and exposed to freezing cold. They were denied medical care and their existing injuries were intentionally aggravated.” The Bush Administration sought, successfully, to overturn the Acree decision so as not to place a financial burden on the new Iraqi government.

Freedom: ‘Poor Those Who Imprisoned Me’

In early 2004, Amin notes in his diary, his captors finally provided him with proper medical treatment: “After all the suffering, I was taken to day to Ibn Sina Hospital while handcuffed,” he wrote on Jan. 5. “They also put a bag over my head so that I don’t see anything. I was diagnosed with gastric ulcer accompanied with interior bleeding. I felt that [my wife] and the girls were thousands of miles away, when they were only 2,000 meters away…”

Amin said he lost 50 pounds in his first year of captivity. His diary notes that in February 2004 “they started giving us rice after all we had [previously] was MREs [military-issue Meals Ready-to-eat]. Apparently the Red Cross had interfered when they saw we were losing weight. They began giving us an apple or an orange every day. When I came here, I was 86 kg [190 lbs]. After two months, my weight became 76kg [168 lbs]. Now I am only 64kg [141 lbs]…” A month later, on March 25, he wrote: “According to the medical check, 15 of the prisoners were diagnosed with TB. They were all taken to building #6 so that they won’t spread the sickness to others.”

I read those entries to a Red Cross official, who said neither marked weight loss or disease were acceptable, and the weight loss in particular is hard to justify given the US military’s ample food supplies in Iraq. One explanation may be the use of “dietary manipulation,” which has been cited among the “enhanced interrogation techniques” employed by U.S. military interrogators in Iraq.

Dietary manipulation was one of 14 interrogation techniques that were outside the Army Field Manual but used as a matter of policy by the Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq when it was under the leadership of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who President Obama has now tapped to run the war in Afghanistan. The 14 techniques were more “than…any other military organization at that time,” according to a 2004 report by Vice Admiral Albert T. Church, then the Naval Inspector General. Other techniques including use of muzzled dogs, “safety positions,” sleep adjustment/management, “mild” physical contact, isolation, sensory overload and sensory deprivation.

McChrystal’s tenure began shortly after Amin’s five-day stay at Camp Nama but coincided with the abuses alleged in the New York Times and Human Rights Watch reports.

President Barack Obama meets with Army Lt. Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, in the Oval Office at the White House, May 19, 2009. McChrystal, who was head of Joint Special Operations Command in Iraq, is now the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
None of the senators on the Armed Services Committee asked McChyrstal about Camp Nama during his confirmation hearing for the Afghanistan post last month. McChrystal testified that he does not condone mistreatment of detainees and that he was uncomfortable with some of the interrogation techniques he found in place in Iraq when he assumed his command in October 2003, adding that he immediately sought to reduce the use of certain methods.

In a sharp follow-up query to McChrystal after the hearing, however, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) pointed out that seven months into his command McChrystal made a request to Gen. John Abizaid, head of U.S. military operations in the Middle East, for permission to use five additional “enhanced” interrogation techniques not listed in the Army Field Manual – techniques that had been suspended by Abizaid two months prior – including “sleep management,” “control positions,” and “environmental manipulation.” As an addendum, McChrystal asked that, in “exceptional circumstances,” handcuffs be allowed to “enforce the detainee’s position.”

Abizaid denied McChrystal’s request to use control positions, but approved the other four, which, in his written response to Levin’s query, McChrystal said he used “sparingly.” He also noted that he chose not to request permission to use physical contact or diet manipulation, “techniques which were in use by the SMUs [Special Mission Units] when I assumed command,” he wrote.

Clifford Acree, the Marine pilot tortured under Saddam, was freed after 47 days of captivity. Some prisoners at Camp Cropper continue to languish without charges six years after the invasion, and many more at Guantanamo have been held for nearly eight years. Last week The Washington Post reported that inmates at the U.S.-run Bagram in Afghanistan have been protesting their indefinite detention by refusing to leave their cells since at least July 1 for showers or exercise.

In his journal and during our interview, Hussam Amin described the open-endedness as the most excruciating torture of all, each repetitive round of ongoing interrogation cruelly dangling the promise of release as the Bush Administration strained against all odds to justify the war:

“I have been interrogated dozens times by the CIA, the FBI, the U.S. army, the U.S. military intelligence, the State Department, the British intelligence and even a professor from Harvard University. All of them agreed that it’s unfair that I stay in prison and that I was just doing my job through collaborating with the weapons of mass destruction inspection team,” Amin wrote on April 26, 2005. “The last interrogation was by Charles Duelfer, the head of the [Iraq Survey Group]. He told me that keeping me in prison for this long is wrong and that he and the team are sympathetic. Moreover, he told me that he expected me to be out of prison ‘very soon,’ and that was in November of 2004. They lie to me every time.”

On December 23, 2005, in the darkness before dawn, Hussam Amin’s American military guards placed the black bag over his head once again. He was driven to a nondescript stretch of highway outside the Baghdad International Airport compound, where the bag was removed for the last time: After nearly three years, he was quietly reunited with his family, one of 22 Iraqi officials released that night, among them several once considered “Iraq’s Most Wanted.” Included in the group were “Mrs. Anthrax” (Dr. Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, an American-educated scientist named the “Five of Hearts”), “Dr. Germ” (Dr. Rihab Rashid Taha) and others.

On the eve of his release, U.S. military officials at Camp Cropper, fearing for Amin’s safety from insurgents, had tried to persuade him to accept safe passage to exile in a third country. Amin refused, hoping to live quietly with his family in Iraq. As it turned out, however, the U.S. military knew better. After a flurry of death threats, Amin fled just a few weeks later, joining an estimated two-million-more anonymous countrymen for whom Iraq is no longer safe. His experience has been much like theirs. His family is divided — his wife and daughters living with him, his sons unable to get visas and marooned in Iraq. He has lost two nephews to the insurgency. He searched for over a year for work, finally landing a menial job well outside his field and expertise. When I met him, he was logging 12-hour days on a construction site.

As the months at Camp Cropper stretched into years, Amin had joined the long line of prison diarists who turned to verse: In one poem, in which he seems to question some of his own choices in life, he also addresses his captors, posing the notion that neither he, nor they, will escape the experience of Iraq:

Alas, you don’t see that one day you destroyed your

Life in this place

You destroyed the value of your life no matter where

You end up on this planet…

Today, I am a prisoner inside my homeland

A stranger, who came from very far

To steal my freedom, leads this prison

Yet he failed, for Baghdad, Tikrit and any other city

Live in my veins. Never leave me. And will never leave them,

Poor those who imprisoned me; they don’t know any of this.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Michael Bronner has written for Vanity Fair and the New York Times op-ed page, and reported from Iraq and Guantanamo for the weekday edition of CBS’ 60 Minutes. Hussam Amin’s diaries were translated by Alaa Majeed, an Iraqi journalist now based in New York. The Huffington Post Investigative Fund is an independent nonprofit journalism venture based in Washington, D.C.

Letter to Bill Rammell, FCO

Dear Mr. Rammell,

I am in receipt of your written response to my enquiry, as forwarded to you by MP Maria Eagle. I think you will find that the American’s version of events is quite wrong, and that you should probably make a far more serious enquiry, as to how a British Citizen can be treated this way, brutalized in jail, subject to ‘soft’ torture, with absolutely no charges or criminal record, after TWENTY years of being allowed to reside legally in the United States, and paying their taxes, social and medicare.

Should you wish to examine all of the documents/evidence, I still have them, in a safe place. (does this mean I will be in for another 3.30am arrest, and warrant served with the wording ‘literature related to America?? – how come??)

I still want to go home to my house in Chicago. I have now been granted a U-Visa to return.
I went for my appointment at the embassy on May 21st to have my U-Visa stamped into my passport to allow me to go home,

Everyone got their visa except me that day; I was told that
1) they didn’t know how to put mine into my passport and
2) they were waiting for clearance on the Waiver of Deportability (which is already written on the documents by the US Immigration Authorities…clear as day.)

Ms. Adrienne A. who said she was in charge of the Embassy, told me that I would hear back from her in a week, but to be honest, I have been hearing similar things about my green-card in the states for TWENTY YEARS…so that is why I am asking you to ask them what is the delay now. She also told me that she is leaving to return to America in two months, so I would rather follow up on this thread while she is still working there.

Please enquire of the US Embassy, why I have not yet heard back from them, and when we can finalize this matter.

Thank you,

Joseen Gates-Carreon, British Citizen
http://www.josieg6.wordpress.com

Susan McDougal…

I dreamed the US Govt stick me on a private jet back to the states, but then I spend years being dragged around like Susan McDougal…..or click here

7/21/09 – As it happens, although the visa has been granted for four years, I was told I only had ten days to re-enter the country, and two homeland security personnel were in the UK to watch me at the airport…and follow me on the plane probably, I didnt bother to watch them too closely. A couple of middle aged african americans…I don’t care. If you haven’t committed any crime, you should be free to go…or so I always thought..

Why will no legitimate politician or lawyer help me? Can this be allowed to happen to an ordinary person who has never committed any crime?

yes, it can, and when we see child soldiers in third world countries we just change the channel, becuase, until it happens to us, it does not concern us.

Update: although I have the actual visa approvals in my hands, (prepare for another police raid I suppose) my lawyer contacted USCIS in the states, who said as far as they are concerned, my visa has not yet been finalized, and that is why they have not sent him my work permission document. This went on for TWENTY YEARS while i waited for my green card…every year the fee, every year the work permission arrives six months later, backdated…

Who can work with that. The fact that Internal US Immigration doesnt yet have records that I have been approved for a re-entry visa makes me think that this is a sham, to re-arrest me at the airport, to put me through the jail experience again….

By the time this is over, I will be sharing a cell with Torquemada, Julie L. Myers….

Picture only: My life with Friends in Chicago, before I was dragged away…and forced to relive the worst things that ever happened to me, while held unnecessarily in a filthy US jail for 108 days.

Chicago in the Summer

Chicago in the Summer

You need to know…

I came to Chicago in 1989, married and we filed for my green card. Immigration lost my file, and when I asked questions, I was put into deportation proceedings. My spouse was not concerned; he just wanted me to pay his rent. Judge gave me voluntary departure, and being young, naive and trusting, and with poor legal advice, and realising I had married someone who didn’t care about me, I complied with the order.

I re-entered the US in 1996, a man raped me in my apartment in 1998. I made a police report, but he had threatened to kill me. I put it behind me, started to build a life and some friends, and eventually met and married my current spouse Joel Carreon in 2001, and we filed for my green card. 9-11 happened. We waited, we also waited on starting a family; we contacted our senator, Dick Durbin, and always got letters that stated there would be a decision in 60 days..This went on for seven years. I couldn’t do anything because I was not in any kind of status…. I put a lot of effort into helping my spouse repair his credit, so he could get school loans, etc, taking care of his family’s problems, etc. I thought I had a real family at last.

My spouse, enjoying his new affluence and unbeknownst to me, met someone else, and start planning a new life for himself. He always said everything was fine, and that we would grow old together. Instead, he changed his bank account and his job, and announced that he had never wanted kids with me, he wanted me to move out, and that he had only wanted the house for his parents. It was utterly shocking, and devastating. Many people who knew us, still don’t believe this, I can’t reconcile it with the person I married myself. Apparently that person has gone, changed forever. It was my money that bought the house. Under IL law, he gets half. Ok.

But apparently half was not enough for him, and so on May 9, 08, I was arrested by Immigration. During the arrest, I had a life-threatening seizure. ICE then forced me while in the hospital on a drip, to sign a document saying that I was free. I believed it. They revoked it a week later, and dragged me off to jail. I was held in filthy jails for four months, and witnessed and was subject to abuse, and many denials of everyone’s rights. Stupid me, I thought I had rights. I was dumped at Heathrow airport on Sept 11, 08.

Geoff Heeren, of the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago has filed for a U Visa for me, based on the rape in 1998. Immigration is now stalling the decision on granting that visa. I just want to come home, to dance with my friends and get on with the rest of my life in Chicago, which I consider my home.

Using a Sledgehammer to Crack a Nut…

If you read the complaint posted lower that I filed with the US and British Govts you will know that I make some serious claims about how I was treated while under false incarceration in America. After trying for six months to get a politician or lawyer in UK to help me, instead I have been told not to engage in ‘free speech.’ I have never had a parking ticket. The quote from a member of the legal community is ‘it seems they are trying to use a sledge hammer to crack a nut’ –

Please do read, and forward this blog. If this can happen to me, it can happen to you. You know how it is when you cross someone in power, suddenly all kinds can happen, that you never imagined would happen. and there is nothing you can do about it.

It’s a dirty world.

Complaint Filed with US and British Govts…

Ms. Gates Howarth-Gates-Carreon US Alien Number: 070349296 JosieG6@hotmail.com
C/O Geoffrey Heeren, Attorney at Law, LAFMC, 111 W. Jackson Blvd Suite 300 Chicago IL 60604

22 March 2009

To: Richard L. Skinner, Inspector General
Office of Inspector General
Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528

Mark Filip, Acting Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Robert S. Mueller, FBI Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
J. Edgar Hoover Building
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001

Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney
United States Attorney’s Office
Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division
219 S. Dearborn St., 5th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604

Michelle L. Jacobs Acting United States Attorney
Office of the United States Attorney
Eastern District of Wisconsin
517 E Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 530
Milwaukee, WI 53202-4580

Julie Madigan, Attorney General
State of Illinois
Chicago Main Office
100 West Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60601

J.B. Van Hollen, Attorney General
State of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Justice
P.O. Box 7857
Madison, WI 53707-7857

Patrick Quinn, Governor of Illinois
410 E. Jackson St.
Springfield, IL 62701

ATTN: Legal Department
McHenry County Jail
2200 N. Seminary Ave,
Woodstock, IL 60098

ATTN: Legal Department
Dodge County Jail
216 W. Center Street
Juneau, WI 53039

Cc: Mr. Nigel Sheinwald
British Ambassador to the United States
The British Embassy
3100 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20008

Cc: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
United States Senate
476 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

The Honourable David Miliband
Secretary of State
British FCO
King Charles St.
London SW1 2AH

The Registrar
European Court of Human Rights
Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex

RE: Howarth-Gates-Carreon, A70-349-296
Request for Investigation

To the above named individuals,

It is hereby requested that an investigation be conducted into the handling of the Immigration file, then the two arrests, ‘parole’, detainment, mistreatment and subsequent deportation of Ms. Joseen Julie Howarth-Gates-Carreon (“Ms. Gates”) (Alien No: A70-349-296), a former ‘Administrative’ detainee of 1) McHenry County Jail, IL, and 2) Dodge County Jail, WI.

Ms. Gates entered the US in 1989. She married George Gates, and he filed for her residency (green card). After making enquiries as to its progress, she was sent a deportation notice. At the Deportation hearing, the Judge told her that her green card file was lost, and offered voluntary departure, which Ms. Gates complied with leaving US by April 1992 per the order. Ms. Gates did not know at that time that she should never have been placed in Deportation, with receipts for a valid marriage petition still in her possession.

She was readmitted after customs and immigration inspection in 1996. She remarried in 2001, and her 2nd husband filed for her residency again. After a seven year delay, several FOIA requests, and the filing of a Writ of Mandamus, to effect some action by USCIS, Ms. Gates was denied adjustment of status to Green card holder, the reason given was that there was an outstanding deportation order in her name. Ms. Gates firmly believes that this Order of Voluntary Departure was then converted to a deportation order because she filed the Writ of Mandamus against USCIS. Ms. Gates’ then Attorney Geoff Brown even received an angry phone call from the Assistant US Attorney Ms. Sheila McNulty regarding Ms. Gates. To have the denial of adjustment of status reconsidered, Ms. Gates was then asked to produce proof that she left the country seventeen years before, to be allowed to stay with her family, husband, home in Chicago. The only proof she had is a letter from the Australian consulate, stating that that passport with that information had been lost by them in the US Mail in the intervening years. It was not possible to get records from seventeen years ago.

It is our contention that 1) having complied with Voluntary departure, the order of Voluntary Departure should never have been converted to a Deportation Order. 2) If this deportation order was valid and on file, for all of those years, why was she then re-admitted to the US in 1996 with no problem at all? She then married, filed paperwork and waited seven years, never hiding, always enquiring through Senator Durbin’s Office, as to the status of her case, while building a life, a home and a career in administration and tax services, in the US.

Please investigate this matter; Ms. Gates firmly believes the original order of deportation did not actually exist until resurrected due to the Writ of Mandamus; it was then enforced as a way to increase deportation statistics during Ms. Myers time as Head of ICE; as evidenced by Immigration jails full of senior citizens some of whom were US Citizens, arrested in their homes, not exactly ‘fugitive illegal aliens’. She also believes that the second deportation order was created to cover up this false arrest and detainment situation. Ms. Gates has the names and alien numbers of most of her fellow detainees.

We have since proved using USCIS’ own documents that if the original ‘Voluntary Departure converted to a Deportation Order’ can be upheld, Ms. Gates had still satisfied its time requirements, also evidenced subsequently by the Immigration Parole document she was given; which stated that because they had failed to deport her for seven years (during which time they had her true and permanent address, as she wrote to them requesting resolution of her case regularly over seven years) meaning there was absolutely no cause for her arrest on May 9, 08.

On May 9, 08 Ms. Gates was arrested and manhandled by ICE agents in her home. She went into shock, had a seizure and nearly died at the hands of the medically untrained ICE agents, but was saved by the intervention of paramedics. She was then forced to sign an Immigration Parole document while on oxygen and a drip in the emergency room. The Immigration Parole document stated that her first check in was on May 13, 2009.

On May 15, 08, she was rearrested outside her home, after Officer Navarro requested she return the parole document, and Ms. Gates said her lawyer had it.
She was processed and put in Immigration jail, where her detainee, civil and human rights were violated repeatedly, she was denied proper medical care, access to her attorney, and she was subjected to and witnessed the daily abuse and mistreatment of many detainees, some of whom were senior citizens, by the Jail Guards and ICE staff. She was then moved to a jail five hours away, housed with criminal inmates. Ms. Gates has now been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder directly related to this false arrest and detainment.

Ms. Gates was told that her immigration parole had been cancelled, because she had violated the terms, by not checking in, (first check-in in 2009?) and this made her a ‘flight risk’. Subsequently her detainment was continued on the same basis.

After Ms. Gates brought this situation to the attention of Ms. Julie Myers, Head of ICE, during a jail visit in June 08, a new deportation order was then created and backdated to cover the May 15, 08, arrest, and served on Ms. Gates attorney nearly 2 months later. Ms. Gates firmly believes this piece of paper was created as a cover up, to justify holding her and she was then rushed to deportation. Ms. Gates actually saw RUSH written in very large red letters on her file in the hands of Officer Bukstein at 101 W. Congress Parkway Chicago. When he saw her looking at it, he turned it over to hide the writing.

6/30 Ms. Gates was informed by her attorney that the British Consulate had told him that ICE had told them that the request for ‘stay of removal’ had been denied, yet we have confirmed that the Request for Stay was not received in ICE offices until 6/31/08.

Ms. Gates has now received confirmation that the FOIA request mailed from McHenry Jail in June 08 was never received by them; this is the first acknowledgement of any kind to her FOIA requests over the last 12 years.

Please investigate this situation fully and correct the errors in procedure which at present have falsely denied Ms. Gates the right to reside legally in the USA for the next 20 years. She was denied any opportunity to sell her home, collect her possessions or settle her affairs in any way. She is waiting in the UK to come home to Chicago.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Respectfully submitted,

___________________ _____________________

Joseen Howarth-Gates-Carreon
17 Westbourne Rd,
West Kirby Wirral
Merseyside, CH48 4DG

Also: 2411 W.Flournoy Unit B
Chicago IL 60612

Geoffrey Heeren,
Attorney at Law
LAFMC
111 W. Jackson Boulevard, Suite 300
Chicago IL 60604

Joseen Howarth-Gates-Carreon, Arrest, Detainment and Deportation 2008.

On May 9, 08 Ms. Gates was arrested in her home by Officers Youssif, Hatchett and Navarro. During the arrest, Ms. Gates went into shock. She informed the Officers she had a blood pressure condition, and then suffered a seizure; this was then prolonged by the arresting agents. As Ms. Gates came to, she was aware of Officer Youssif holding her head, lifting it up, and Officer Navarro leaning in over her body and was holding her leg (at that early hour she was wearing only a bathrobe.) Each time she came conscious, they lifted her head, which caused the blood to flow away from the brain, and so she seized again. When the paramedics arrived, they addressed her seizure properly and so she was able to recover consciousness fully. She was made to crawl up the stairs of her home to dress herself, the door held open by Officer Youssif as she went to the bathroom and then Officer Navarro asked the paramedics if they (ICE) could take her; the paramedics said no; her blood pressure was far too low and she could not walk. She was taken by ambulance to Cook County Hospital. While on oxygen to breathe an a drip, despite constantly asking to speak with her attorney, and being told she could talk to him later, Ms. Gates had all three agents leaning over her, screaming at her and they forced her to sign a parole document that stated she was given Immigration parole, and that her first check in was May 13, 2009.

The next day she realized that there was a large handprint on her inner thigh, as well as a long scratch which happened during the arrest on the staircase. A complaint was filed from McHenry Jail through the British Embassy.

May 15, 2008 she was rearrested outside her home by Agent Manuel Navarro, who wanted to know where that document he gave her was, he wanted the Immigration Parole document back. Ms. Gates said it was with her lawyer. When he asked where her passport was, she said it was behind them in the house, did he want to come with her to get it, but he said ‘cuff her and put her in the van’.

She was then taken to 101 W. Congress Chicago IL, where she was processed (again with Officer Navarro yelling at her) and sent to McHenry County Jail as an Immigration Administrative Detainee. During her time at McHenry, Ms. Gates suffered abuse and mistreatment by the staff, and witnessed the severe abuse and mistreatment of several elderly detainees. She was denied medical care, and her regular prescription medications for depression and stress.

The ‘Intake’ medical screening was not done until 5/28, and the Doctor would not listen to Ms. Gates medical history. Ms. Gates asked who has access to the information, she was then told that she was uncooperative, and the Doctor told the guard ‘we are done here’. Ms. Gates persisted to tell the Doctor she had seizures, also Vaso Vagal Syncope and she requested that he take her blood pressure, but she was then taken out of the room.

Ms. Gates broke out in a severe rash several days after arriving in McHenry Jail; it was ignored by medical staff despite many written requests for treatment. This rash persisted until Oct 2008, and has left disfiguring marks on Ms. Gates throat.

While in McHenry, Ms. Gates was given ‘fresh’ underwear that had body fluids and blood on it from other detainees. When she returned it immediately she was given more clothing from the same batch. All clothing provided in jail was not clean or sanitary, as evidenced by the smell alone.

Food trays very dirty, not sanitized. Food is barely edible; signs on the wall say expect to lose 15-20lb.

5/25 Ms. Gates locked down in her cell for no reason by Officer Huntsberry during the time to order commissary, so denied the opportunity to obtain writing materials.
Her phone access was always being disconnected; she had to make repeated requests to have it reconnected with her Alien number, to be able to make calls. The disconnection during the times that Legal Counsel was available by phone, effectively denied Ms. Gates access to her counsel or other outside assistance.

Despite daily written requests, Ms. Gates was allowed to use the law library only twice, for two hours total, in the seven weeks she was in McHenry Co. Jail. She was told by Officer Taylor told me that he knows that none of the ICE detainees get the 5 hours law library that they are supposed to. All female detainees were regularly denied usage of the gym, told it was in use or they were ‘short handed’ and were made to use the bathroom in front of the cameras. Food and sanitation was below the legal standards acceptable. Also all female detainees were made to share cells.

All detainees woke up with bloody snotty noses, every day; an orange dust is stuck to the walls blowing in through the vents, it is visible starting several feet up. Detainee Margaret Johnson stated that in the ten months she has been in McHenry, she has not seen any kind of official cleaning be done. Asbestos appears to be sticking out of the door frames in the cell block. Detainees were forced to clean their cells in the am and the common areas 3 times a day with chemicals. The label on the bottle states that if it comes into contact with your skin, wash with cold water for 20 minutes, and contact the poison control centre. No detainee was issued gloves to use these chemicals. Ms. Gates now has severely elevated liver enzymes, tested immediately after she was released from jail. The chemicals in the bottles were listed as .09 Benzyl Ammonium Chloride, 0.09 Dimethyl Ethybenzyl Ammonium Chloride but the bottles were refilled? so we do not know what chemicals Ms. Gates was exposed to in McHenry.

5/27 Ms. Gates requested in writing to see the Notary in the jail, this was ignored until Ms. Gates physically approached him as he entered the cell block on 6/3 when she was finally able to get her FOIA request signed so she could send it in. It was handed to an officer for mailing, but was never received by USCIS FOIA office, as confirmed by them on 1-28-09. Original from June 08 now resubmitted on February 2, 09.

5/31 given a second ‘TB’ shot against her will; Ms. Gates did not see this needle come out of clean package. She was told she had to submit to this because they failed to check the results of the first one administered on arrival at the jail. She does not know what she was exposed to with this needle.

Ms. Gates was denied access to legal counsel from 5/15 – 6/9. Geoff Heeren was told that the only time he could speak to Ms. Gates was on 6/3 at 1pm in the jail by phone. She was then woken at 2am on 6/3, kept awake and driven in shackles to 101 W. Congress, and kept awake a total of 40 hrs to prevent her from speaking with him. Only after Ms. Gates got the guard at 101 W. Congress to get someone, Officer Bukstein came to see Ms. Gates, he wanted her passport, she told him again that it was in her house, but that her husband had probably taken it, he said ‘we will just keep you in jail for another week’.

On 6/9 she was again awake from 6am, taken downstairs at 11pm, kept awake all night again, shackled, put in a bus with male prisoners in the female section, then taken to 101 W. Congress to fill out a passport application form. Ms. Gates and her counsel were not allowed to meet privately; Officer Salazar kept opening the door.
Ms. Gates was denied sleep until 9pm the next day, 39 hours.

6/17 A Dog Raid was conducted in the women’s section of the jail, all female detainees were made to lie face down on the concrete floor, as dogs and Officers with large automatic weapons marched over them. We were then searched by the female guards, Ms. Gates privates were touched unnecessarily.

6/18/08 early in the morning, Juan Cruz ICE representative was in putting up all the signage regarding Immigrant rights that is supposed to be posted in the women’s section.

6/18/08 JULIE MYERS VISIT with guests– 2pm. Although the guests stood back by the door, Ms. Myers tried to engage four Chinese non English speaking prisoners in a conversation. Ms. Gates requested that Ms. Myers look into her case, as there must be a mistake. Ms. Myers said to have Geoff Heeren contact Rafael Sanchez, her attorney.

(During this week, and specifically on June the 18th, the temperature in the cell block was so deliberately low, that most detainees were staying in their bunks, wearing all of their assigned clothing at once, under their blankets to try to stay warm.)

After Ms. Myers left, Ms. Gates was told to speak to Levon Temple, an executive with Nakamoto Group, who have the cleaning contract for the jail, about the ‘problems’ she had told Julie Myers about regarding sanitation, food etc. Ms. Gates requested Mr. Temple contact her attorney. levon.temple@nakamotogroup.com

6/20 and 6/22 Ms. Gates was threatened by an inmate with schizophrenia. Guards moved her to a cell 1/131, where they could watch her.
6/22 Ms. Gates became aware that when she flushed the toilet in her unit, the water level in the basin of the drinking water fountain increased. She brought this to the attention of Nakamoto representative that questioned her; he said it was no issue. It was the only drinking water supply for all detainees.

Torture – watching others suffer: Susamma Matthews – again, no criminal record, and no charges at all, she told me she was dragged from her home by 10-15 federal agents – along with her son – Susamma was 60 ish, Indian lady with high blood pressure and diabetes, so I watch as they wake her at 5am to record her blood pressure, it shows low, they take her blood sugar as soon as she has eaten, to show it is ok; the rest of the time because she is NOT OK she is either on the cold floor or on the bunk in her cell, unable to function. She has a urine infection they won’t treat, it progresses to a kidney infection, she is shaking and jolting with the pains inside her, and the guards will not do anything and punish me for asking for help for her. I made phone calls to the OIG hotline to get her help, telling them she would die if they did not do something. They wanted her to walk down the stairs, she couldn’t, (we were locked in our cells and I can see from my cell that they are laughing when she is throwing up and falling down off the toilet onto the floor headfirst) This suffering went on for her for about ten days in the regular cell block – with another inmate we walked in front and behind her so she did not fall down the stairs, we tried to carry her, the guard was annoyed, nobody told him he had to deal with this, he only carried her pillowcase. He called for a wheelchair. They took her up to medical where she said they gave her antibiotics; she had lost 10 pounds in 10 days. The day she walked back into the main cell, and she was woken at 4am and shoved on to the plane that night. She too had applied for her green card. Her file was marked RUSH too. She was told that her stay/appeal had been denied because they had already purchased her airline ticket.

Active TB – Detainee Pong Young, Detainee Number 80153, collapsed on her way to court approx 4/28/08. She was in North-western Hospital, her medical record from the hospital that day shows that she had possible active TB and an enlarged heart. Ms. Gates was detained in an open area with Ms. Young from 5/15/08 – 7/7/08.

Ms. Gates has a full list of her fellow detainees and their situations, and their mistreatment under ICE jails.

Geoff Heeren informed Ms. Gates that after he had contacted Rafael Sanchez/ Officer Sandra Salazar, to point out that there was no active deportation on file for May 9, 08, (it had been satisfied as already acknowledged in documentation from USCIS) and so no reason for arrest and detainment, a new Deportation Order then arrived at his office; it was created dated for the May 15, 08 and served on his office, nearly two months later.

6/30 Ms. Gates was informed by her attorney that the British Consulate Ms. Eileen Dunne, had told him that her ‘stay of removal’ had been denied, yet we have confirmed that the Request for Stay was not received in ICE offices until 6/31/08.

Officer Taylor told Ms. Gates that he knows nobody gets 5 hrs a week Law Library (their true entitlement) after she requested to see the ICE Detainee Detention Standards.
1st Week of July Ms. Gates was severely verbally harassed and physically intimidated by an officer of about 6ft 4in, in front of detainee Olivia Perham. Ms. Gates stated to the officer ‘I am feeling harassed’.

7/4 – Ms. Gates put in a written request to Officer Lusa/Sylvester and JC for a copy of IL Jail Standards, County Jail Standards and a list of the Detainees Rights documentation that all detainees are entitled to. Ms. Gates also put in a written request asking when was the AC in the jail last cleaned by a professional service.

7/7 at 2am, Ms. Gates was taken shackled to 101 W. Congress, then transported to Dodge county Jail. She was again kept awake, shackled hand and foot for 16 hrs. Officer Harkness announced ‘these illegals just come here to claim benefits’ Ms. Gates was only person in the van, the purpose of transporting her to a jail five hour further away was to further deny her access to any outside assistance.

7/18 denied medical care, requested her anxiety medication, and did not receive it.
7/21 – Ms. Gates taken to Dodge Co. Doctor Ramano, who prescribed Acyclovir for the rash.
7/26 – Ms. Gates is threatened by other criminal inmates. Officer Covington suggests Ms. Gates lock herself in her cell to be safe.
8/15 Harassment by Officer Bublitz; written up and locked in cell for 24 hrs, later told by Officer Zaingl that what Officer Bublitz did was ‘bullshit’.
8/19 – Still covered in Rash, Dr. Ramano gave Ms. Gates doxycycline.
8/22 – Charles Scoles Investigator from Julie Myers Office came to question Ms. Gates regarding her complaint to the British Embassy about the arrest procedure and assault. She requested her attorney be present. Mr. Scoles ended the interview.
8/22 Nurse Roxanne told Ms. Gates that prison will not do blood tests for the large lumpy red rash with yellow bursting heads, covering her body, possibly in violation of WI Administrative Code Doc 350-21 Communicable Disease Control.

8/23 Ms. Gates told by Officer Vukovich and Officer Rhode to ‘bond with these women’ (heroin dealers, addicts, alcoholics.) Verbal and emotional abuse from inmates and guards is constant.

8/24 11.45am Supervisor Mark Schwarz tried to intimidate Ms. Gates by reading back one of her phone calls to her. These officers read Ms. Gates legal mail straight off the printer before handing it to her.

8/27 – Put in her street clothes, taken to Fox Valley to be fingerprinted for my U Visa Application. She was in squad car cuffed with male offender also cuffed but able to reach her and touch her. On the return, she was in with 4 males, cuffed but able to reach me, criminal offenders; one was a double homicide, served 11 years, Juan Vasquez. She could not defend herself, it was terrifying. Very traumatic subjected to constant sexual harassment by criminal offenders for four hours. On return, Officer Donegan took all of her clothing, and then spent time looking at her totally naked, then shouted at her for putting menstrual pad in the toilet.
8/27 Officer Donegan read Ms. Gates outgoing legal mail.

9/2 woken at 2am, kept awake until 2am next day, was taken to Broadview processing; Ms. Gates was not told that she was being deported until she demanded to know. Her alien number again did not work for the phones at Broadview. Ms. Gate saw Charles Scoles in the background, and she was the only detainee being filmed from arrival all day by Officer Jankovic. At around 5pm she was taken to O’Hare, kept in a cell, then taken in a van across the tarmac with 3 agents, the Luggage mover from United crashed into the ICE vehicle on the tarmac, gave Ms. Gates whiplash; she was taken by ambulance to Resurrection Hospital where x-rays were taken, (she was admitted under Josmen Howath) and then taken to a cell with no blanket to spend the night in pain. She was woken at 6am to be taken back to Broadview, then at 3pm taken to be put in the van again. When Ms. Gates asked to count the money in the purse being taken from her again, and receive a receipt, she was given a receipt stating ‘Unknown amount’ She was then physically threatened ‘move’ (with the implied threat that if she did not move she would be dragged away) Again she was transported in the same side with male criminal offenders. She was told she could see the doctor when she arrived at Dodge Co, but was not taken to medical and denied pain medication when she needed it.

9/10 Repeat of Deportation, kept awake from 2am the night before, in transport to Broadview, again not told that she was being deported.
Her Gucci watch was missing from her personal possessions. Agent Valencia Amaro asked Ms. Gates to sign a document that stated that she was deportable for 20 years. Ms. Gates pointed out this was incorrect, Ms. Amaro made a phone call, acknowledged that this too was incorrect, but said that she had been told to get Ms. Gates to sign it anyway. Ms. Gates was flown to London Heathrow on Sept 10, 08.

Finally some real Justice…

Drew Peterson Arrested for murder of 3rd Wife….4th wife Stacey Peterson is still missing…

Unfortunately the law firm representing me for Immigration Matters, were too busy to help me when I was dragged off to jail…they were appearing on ‘Nancy Grace’ representing Mr. Peterson, …who was more newsworthy than an ordinary honest taxpayer like me.
I’ve never heard a peep from them….or had a check for the retainer returned to me…how bout a refund??

But I must also give Peterson the benefit of the doubt, as Innocent until Proven Guilty….so we wait for a jury to put this away.

It may have been my husband had me dragged away by Immigration, so he could take my assets. Could have been worse I suppose, Kathleen Savio, rest in peace. May justice prevail.

Obama’s Auntie – Why was she not deported like me?

Obama’s aunt gets reprieve in asylum case

DID JULIE MYERS TRY TO DISCREDIT OBAMA??

Judge: President Obama’s aunt can stay in U.S. until asylum case is heard in 2010
Zeituni Onyango has lived in U.S. illegally for years, been ordered to leave country

Obama says aunt’s case “should run its ordinary course”
BOSTON, Massachusetts (CNN) — A federal immigration judge says President Obama’s aunt, who has stayed in the United States illegally for years, will be allowed to remain in the country until at least next year.

Judge Leonard Shapiro said Wednesday he would hear Zeituni Onyango’s political asylum case on February 4, 2010.

Onyango, who is the half sister of the president’s late father, applied for political asylum in 2002 due to violence in her native Kenya, according to her spokesman, Mike Rogers. Onyango was a legal resident of the United States at the time and had received a Social Security card a year earlier.

Onyango’s asylum request was turned down in 2004, and she has been living in the U.S. illegally since then, after twice appealing and twice being ordered to leave.

Wednesday’s hearing at the U.S. Immigration Court in Boston was closed to the media at the request of Margaret Wong, Onyango’s attorney. Lawyers for the Department of Homeland Security are defending an order to deport Onyango.

White House spokesman Ben LaBolt says President Obama is staying out of the matter and that “the president believes that the case should run its ordinary course.”

When the initial appearance was over, Onyango, wearing a red wig and dark glasses, was escorted through a side door of the courthouse to avoid news cameras staking out the main entrances.

Onyango lives in public housing in South Boston and volunteers as a health advocate for people in her housing complex. She reportedly attended inauguration events for her nephew in January accompanied by her lawyer.

If her case had run its ‘normal course’ during 2008, when Julie Myers was trying to build credibility and ‘illegals deported’ stats, she would have been arrested and dragged away in cuffs and held in a filthy jail perhaps for years, like the rest of us. IF in fact, what was done to me is normal??
It was a George Bush initiative to keep his party in office, and so all of the juice still coming….

2-6-13 More Fees.

I have been paying fees to everyone involved in the Immigration Process since 1989. Many lawyers, who said that they could ‘help me’, the court system and the ever increasing immigration fee schedule, for ‘work permission’, extensions, denials, make something up there is a fee for it. As I pack up my apartment I have several crates of documents, with every piece of evidence of everything, over and over. I was just a young woman, who fell in love and trusted a man, who decided during our marriage interview on Feb 14, 1990, that he was ‘not talking to me’ that day. I also did not know that he was doing drugs every day. Although there were people who did drugs in my hometown in the UK, I didn’t hang around them. I barely was aware what alcohol allowed others to do to me, and don’t remember anything from early childhood, big blank spots that I now don’t feel necessary to fill with composite memories. I probably didnt know enough about life, how people truly treat each other, while professing to love each other, to get married.

It is easy for someone who is well raised, aware, older, to say, “how could they be so stupid” as we see 20 yr olds doing things that jeopardize their lives and health, but they do it anyway. We learn by those experiences. I learned Everything the hard way, now even questioning when someone wants to get married, whether they have really asked their partner the right questions, whether they are helpful in a crisis, whether they are in a partnership, or just self-serving. Ultimately, you just have to look after yourself, if the other person is a drain and won’t change.

DETAINED AGAIN 1/30/13

I have a U Visa, at Ohare they didnt know how to enter me in the computer for me to catch a flight to Cancun, i made the flight because there was one latino employee who had a clue. Returning, the Mexican authorities were wary also with no idea what kind of visa it was, or waht to put in the computer, I told them not to worry, because America would detain me needlessly when i got off the plane anyhow. They did, the TSA arrival guys were discussing not knowing what do to with an 1-512 approval as I approached the desk. I got a more clued in guy, who read whatever came up on the screen about me, and he asked me, looking at me quizzically, “do you know what this is about?” I said yes, my husband accused me of bein a terrorist during the divorce to get the house” the guy, Officer Karamatz, , said, “oh, well you still ahve to go in the little room” it was about 5.45pm. I sat in the little room with many others from China and RJ and Somalia, for about 2 hrs. They then gave me back my passport with a new 1-9 in it, indicated visa til Jan 2014 and my Work and Travel Permission card. So a two hour delay for them to verify the documents they gave me, and for them each to read the story that I am not allowd to know, I only know because I dream of their conversations and what happened behind my back, and am never allowed to be free.

News Round Up In-Brief

Reblogged from ACCESS DENIED:

U.S. News

  • A recent New York Times article highlights the many vulnerabilities faced by U.S. im/migrants, even those who are long-term permanent residents, that can ultimately lead in deportation. Among the deported are an increasing number of children, some as young as six years old, many of whom lack counsel to represent them in immigration hearings.
  • In preparing for Hurricane Isaac, many people from affected Gulf Coast areas will evacuate their homes, but unauthorized im/migrants…

Read more… 398 more words

August 2012 Current Status

I am living in Chicago, currently applying again third time for my greencard, lawyer is trying to get Clearance from British Authorities that I was never charged with anything, but, as that false arrest was supposed to be dealt with in 3 months, and no one in the Govt/Police over there has given any answers or replies for THREE YEARS NOW I am not hopeful….we don’t even know if the case is still open…simply no answers, nor the return of the brand new unused laptop.

I believe the raid and the warrant served on me in the UK for “documents related to America” was simply something cooked up by the Americans, to ensure that there is now one ‘arrest record’ for me, to allow them to legitimately deny my greencard this time. Going through the paperwork here in chicago yesterday, I realize the warrant from the UK actually Specifies “terrorism related” ….

Now before, I had been somewhat joking that my husband accused me of terrorism to get me deported to steal my house. Fortunately I have had 3 years to recover somewhat from this terrible experience, and so it didn’t destroy me as much as it could have to see this in writing…..

I WAS A HOUSEWIFE WHO WORKED IN A BANK AND HOPED FOR A FAMILY. I STILL LIVE WITHIN THE LAWS OF BOTH THE US AND THE UK.

NOW I WILL EVENTUALLY BE A SYMBOL….not a path anyone chooses but I will NOT Let them continue to roll over me. I am Still Looking for a Lawyer to help me file a lawsuit against all of the parties to this fraud, false accusations and frankly, the attempted murder of my life. We still don’t know how many people really die in these Immigration Jails on American Soil.

THIS COULD BE YOU. I KNOW I WAS THERE.

HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!!

Sick Detained Immigrant to Appeal to U.N. for Help
By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: June 24, 2010
A 61-year-old Jamaican man who spent three decades working in New York is likely to die of medical neglect in a Louisiana immigration detention center unless the United Nations intervenes, says an urgent petition that his advocates plan to submit to the international organization on Friday.

The unusual petition is a last-ditch effort to win the release of the ailing man, Carlyle Leslie Owen Dale, a legal permanent resident who has been held for deportation for more than five years as his court appeals languished and his health sharply declined from diabetes, chronic asthma, liver disease, severe arthritis and high blood pressure.

On Thursday afternoon, his advocates at the National Immigrant Justice Center in Chicago learned of a new development that added weight to their argument that his detention was arbitrary and unjustified: The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit had overruled Mr. Dale’s deportation order, finding that the Board of Immigration Appeals had wrongly concluded that his 2000 conviction for attempted assault made him deportable as an “aggravated felon.” The court sent the case back to the board for a new decision.

But it is unclear when, or even whether, that decision will lead to Mr. Dale’s release to his family, which includes a son, a daughter and two grandchildren in Orlando, Fla., and a son in Biloxi, Miss., all American citizens.

In a telephone interview from the Federal Detention Center at Oakdale, La., minutes after learning of the court ruling, he wept.

“I cannot understand why I should have been detained for five years and suffer as much as I did in a country like this, just because I exercised my rights to challenge my deportation,” he said.

According to his advocates’ petition to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in Geneva, Mr. Dale has been hospitalized five times in the past 20 months for problems including asthmatic bronchitis, acute diabetes, pancreatitis, chronic congestive heart failure, flesh-eating bacterial infection, obstructive pulmonary disease and a hernia.

Though doctors reported that he had suffered “near respiratory arrest,” the petition says, Mr. Dale recently endured days of gasping for breath at the Oakdale detention center; he had a nebulizer mask pulled from his face by an infirmary assistant who accused him of “faking it” and told him to do push-ups in his cell.

Mr. Dale filed a complaint about the assistant’s behavior, but it was declared “without merit” by the same detention official who had denied all his requests for release while his appeal was pending, the petition says.

An outline of Mr. Dale’s case, which did not identify him, was presented by National Immigrant Justice Center advocates at a White House meeting in May under the heading “The Next Death in Immigration Detention.” His advocates said they decided to turn to the United Nations group only after fruitless appeals to officials at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including Phyllis Coven, the acting director of detention policy and planning, who visited Oakdale this month.

Brian P. Hale, a spokesman for the agency, said that despite the Fifth Circuit decision, Mr. Dale was an “aggravated felon,” subject to mandatory detention. Mr. Hale said senior officials had reviewed Mr. Dale’s care and were satisfied that he had “unfettered access to medical treatment.”

Mr. Dale’s case, and the petition to an international body more accustomed to appeals from places like Myanmar and China than the United States, underscores the current frustration of immigrant advocates who were enthusiastic when the Obama administration first vowed to overhaul immigration detention. Their petition contends that medical neglect and human rights abuses remain rife in a system that continues to detain some 400,000 people a year.

Tara Tidwell Cullen, a spokeswoman for the center, said advocates hoped that bringing international attention to the Dale case would “increase pressure on ICE to improve oversight of detention facilities, and save the lives of our client and others.”

The government has been trying to deport him since 2005, based on his guilty plea to attempted aggravated assault in a 1998 shooting at a halfway house he operated in Uniondale, N.Y. Mr. Dale, who had never been in trouble with the law, served three and a half years in prison and paid more than $9,000 in restitution to the resident he shot with an unregistered gun during an argument in which he said he was threatened with a knife.

Until the shooting, Mr. Dale’s life had followed a path like that of many immigrants to New York. He worked his way through community college as a gas station attendant and a taxi driver, married and had three children, eventually rising through better jobs at Kennedy International Airport and an advertising agency in Oceanside, N.Y., and then establishing a business of his own, the Safe Housing Project

The Safe Housing Project operated several halfway houses for recovering alcoholics and drug addicts. Mr. Dale worked closely with social services officials and detoxification programs in New York City and Nassau County.

The ruling in his favor by the Fifth Circuit, in New Orleans, turned on complex legal questions, including whether Mr. Dale had exhausted his administrative appeals. (He had.)

But in oral arguments, the chief judge, Edith H. Jones, showed a broader kind of sympathy for Mr. Dale when she learned about the circumstances of the shooting. “That makes it sound more like a caricature of what Texans believe New York justice to be — that self-defense is a crime,” she said.

8-19-09 WSJ: More Deaths in Custody ‘discovered’ Body Bag recount??

By CAM SIMPSON
WASHINGTON — Immigration officials said Monday they discovered records of 10 previously unreported deaths of detainees in government custody, prompting a review by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency “to ensure the integrity of ICE’s records on detainee deaths.”

Salvadoran illegal immigrants wait for breakfast in their barracks at the Willacy Detention facility in Raymondville, Texas, in this December photo.
.The new cases involved eight men from Cuba, one from Mexico and one from Ecuador, bringing to 104 the number of people who have died while in ICE custody since October 2003, the agency said.

ICE initially disclosed little information beyond the men’s names, nationalities and dates of death, but more data was later released by officials at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the immigration agency. That data showed eight of the men died of natural causes, while another was listed as a suicide. There was no cause of death listed for the final detainee.

Eight of the deaths occurred at facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, including four at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo., the data showed. The suicide was at a federal prison facility in Terre Haute, Ind. Two detainees died at a contract facility run by Corrections Corporation of America in Eloy, Ariz.

All 10 died between 2004 and 2007, according to the agency.

Gillian Brigham, an ICE spokeswoman, said the deaths did not turn up earlier this year when the agency, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, tried to conduct a comprehensive search of those who died while in custody. Ms. Brigham said the agency was aware the 10 detainees had died in custody, but their names hadn’t come up in the original search.

Detainee Deaths
Argelio Leyva-Arjona, Cuban national; suicide, died Jan. 5, 2004, at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind.
Jose De La Concepcion Alvarez Arias, Cuban national; metastic renal cell carcinoma, died on March 10, 2004, at federal prison facility in White Deer, Pennsylvania.
Antonio Ayala-Garcia, Cuban national; “renal failure, failure to eat/drink & severe acute stage dementia,” died on Sept. 24, 2004, U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
Elias Lopez Ruelas, Mexican national; “cirrhosis of unclear etiology,” died on Jan. 4, 2005, contract facility run by Corrections Corporation of America in Eloy, Ariz.
Jose Rosell Sierra, Cuban national; no cause listed, died on Jan. 8, 2005, federal medical center in Fort Worth, Texas.
Conrado Correoso-Jay, Cuban national; prostate cancer, died on Jan. 31, 2005, federal penitentiary at the Florence Federal Correctional Complex, in Colorado.
Silvio Lazo Reinoso, Cuban national; pancreatic cancer, died on April 6, 2005, U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
Angel Polanco-Molina, Cuban national; superior vena cava syndrome, died on March 30, 2006, U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
Jorge Lazano-Blanco, Cuban national; heart attack, died on June 3, 2006, U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
Felix Franklin Rodriguez-Torres, Ecuadorian national; cancer (“very aggressive form of cancer”), died on Jan. 18, 2007, contract facility run by Corrections Corporation of America in Eloy, Ariz. SOURCE: Department of Homeland Security
.”This is a serious matter that we uncovered and it requires an immediate response,” said John Morton, assistant secretary of the Department of Homeland Security who heads ICE. “Appropriate tracking and accounting of the deaths of individuals in ICE custody is imperative,” he said in a statement.

The hunt for other cases was ordered Saturday, although the agency announced the move on Monday.

“Today’s announcement confirms our very worst fears,” said David Shapiro, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the original request for a comprehensive list of the deaths. He criticized the government for running a system “devoid of transparency and accountability,” adding that Monday’s announcement raised questions about whether other deaths occurred.

“I think this is a case study on why they need to revamp their detention system,” said Donald M. Kerwin Jr., vice president for programs at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, an independent think tank. “We don’t really know whether their database actually even tracks this information.”

Mr. Morton said earlier this month he was launching a multiyear review and overhaul of the nation’s immigration-detention system, in part to make it less reliant on using prison-like facilities to hold noncriminal immigration offenders.

Although there were few specifics given in that announcement, Mr. Morton said he would substantially increase oversight of the facilities used to hold detainees. That includes a plan to place a government manager inside each of the nation’s 23 largest detention facilities, which together hold about 40% of the nation’s immigration detainees.

The government relies heavily on a patchwork of facilities leased from state and local governments, along with privately run centers, to house the roughly 400,000 people who pass through its immigration-detention system each year.

Advocates have long criticized the level and efficacy of medical care for those being held, but it was unclear if substandard care played a role in deaths announced Monday.

Write to Cam Simpson at cam.simpson@wsj.com