December 10, 2005

Iranian students interviewed by FBI

Persian Time-Out, San Francisco Bay Area community newsletter
A large number of F-1 Iranian students from local universities have been contacted and interviewed by the FBI in the last two weeks. The FBI, contrary to their own official guidelines, has asked some of these students about their political beliefs and/or religious practices. The FBI has not yet announced the purpose of this new wave of interviews.

Remember, you have a constitutional right not to answer or attend these interviews. It is not a crime to refuse to answer or meet with the FBI. If, however, you give the FBI wrong or misleading information, even by accident, it is a crime for which you may be prosecuted.

Lawyers are available to provide you with free information concerning your rights in these FBI interviews. If you decide to attend an interview with the FBI, lawyers are available to accompany you free of charge, to safeguard your rights.

Please note: Many state and local law enforcement officials have received cross-designations to perform functions of immigration and FBI officials. Although the officer who interviews you might identify themselves as an FBI official, it is important to ask the officer who they are, what law enforcement agency they represent, and request their business card for your records.

For questions or concerns, contact the National Lawyers Guild Post-9/11 Hotline: (415) 285-1041

Protecting Your Rights:

National Lawyers Guild-San Francisco
www.nlgsf.org

American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee˜San Francisco
www.adcsf.org

The Law Office of Nancy Hormachea
(510) 849-0996
nhimmigration@yahoo.com

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