Jolie Rouge
06-09-2012, 06:10 AM
An American student stranded abroad by the government's no-fly list has walked across the U.S. border instead in order to get home. KNSD-TV's Tony Shin reports.
By Kari Huus, msnbc.com
An American student who discovered he was included on the government’s no-fly list and was barred from a U.S.-bound flight from Costa Rica was reunited with family and friends after he flew to Mexico and then walked across the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday evening.
Kevin Iraniha, 27, was met at the San Ysidro crossing south of his home in San Diego by his father and two brothers as well as some supporters and reporters after a two-day delay that included FBI questioning and rerouting his trip through Mexico City and Tijuana.
"I'm happy to be home, finally in my hometown where I was born and raised," Iraniha told NBC San Diego, but he added that what happened to him "was very tiring and very depressing."
"Obviously he was relieved to see his family, to be back in San Diego, home. It was quite an emotional moment to see him for his family for his friends," said Hanif Mohebi, executive director of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a nonprofit civil rights group.
Iraniha had recently completed a master’s degree program in Costa Rica. He had celebrated his graduation with his father and brothers, but was stopped on Tuesday when he tried to check in for his flight.
Iraniha is a practicing Muslim whose father was born in Iran. He said he was questioned extensively by FBI agents at the U.S. Embassy in San Jose about his religious beliefs, practices and affiliations, and about his recent travels to destinations including Iran, where he has relatives.
Kevin Iraniha, after earning a masters degree in international law in Costa Rica, poses with his brothers Jahan, left, Shervin, second from left, and his father, Nasser, right. When he tried to return home to the United States, the San Diego native was barred from U.S.-bound flights.
He was not told why he was placed on the no-fly list, according to Mohebi, but was told he could return to the United States by alternative means.
Iraniha's brothers and father all were allowed to board aircraft flying directly to the United States.
Citing the U.S. Privacy Act and security reasons, the FBI will not confirm nor deny an individual’s inclusion on the no-fly list, which is intended to safeguard U.S. aviation. More than 20,000 individuals are on the list, including about 500 U.S. citizens, according to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, which maintains the list. These individuals are barred from all domestic flights and international flights that enter U.S. air space.
Mohebi said that Iraniha was staying out of the public eye for a few days as he recovers from the ordeal and decides how to proceed.
There are currently two major lawsuits challenging the federal government on its use of the no-fly list, its lack of transparency and an apparent lack of recourse for people who find themselves restricted by it. "Now that he is safely home, we can discuss the larger issue of how it is that people get onto that list," said Mohebi. "If an individual is dangerous enough that he should not be flying, shouldn’t he be arrested, brought to court, tried and prosecuted? And if this individual is dangerous enough not to fly (to the United States), why should he be allowed to fly to other countries … and drive in or walk across the border?"
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/08/12128098-california-grad-student-on-no-fly-list-gets-home-after-stranding?lite
comments
I defiantly feel there is a place for the no fly list, but how its used needs to change. Any US citizen that is added to it should have to be informed when it happens, and told exactly why they are on the list. Anyone on the list should also have a means to challenge their inclusion since there are clearly a LOT of people on the list that pose no threat.
...
John S - agree totally. I keep thinking about a toddler whose name was put on the list awhile back. It's one thing to be concerned for the safety of our country. It's another to go overboard with including US citizens without notifying them. As far as I know, citizens still have some rights in our country. Or am I wrong?
..
ing placed on a no fly list should require a court order, that would solve all the problems. You could still get an emergency order from a magistrate in urgent situations. it would immediately give you a ready made check and balance system where the decision is made and gives means for recourse through the appeals process.
...
Not only that, but there has to be some common sense. According to the article he was told that you can enter the US, you just can't fly there even though we've checked you out and are assured you aren't carrying any bombs. I thought that's why the government has allowed civilian employees to commit legal sexual assault on people.
It would seem to me that if the government has grounds to believe a US citizen is a terrorist, then check him out to make sure he is not carrying a bomb and then let him fly. Then, if there are grounds to arrest him, then arrest him when he walks off the plane. If the authorities don't have enough to arrest then one shouldn't be on the "no-fly" list as this is clearly a deprivation of rights as a US citizen.
By Kari Huus, msnbc.com
An American student who discovered he was included on the government’s no-fly list and was barred from a U.S.-bound flight from Costa Rica was reunited with family and friends after he flew to Mexico and then walked across the U.S.-Mexico border Thursday evening.
Kevin Iraniha, 27, was met at the San Ysidro crossing south of his home in San Diego by his father and two brothers as well as some supporters and reporters after a two-day delay that included FBI questioning and rerouting his trip through Mexico City and Tijuana.
"I'm happy to be home, finally in my hometown where I was born and raised," Iraniha told NBC San Diego, but he added that what happened to him "was very tiring and very depressing."
"Obviously he was relieved to see his family, to be back in San Diego, home. It was quite an emotional moment to see him for his family for his friends," said Hanif Mohebi, executive director of the San Diego chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, a nonprofit civil rights group.
Iraniha had recently completed a master’s degree program in Costa Rica. He had celebrated his graduation with his father and brothers, but was stopped on Tuesday when he tried to check in for his flight.
Iraniha is a practicing Muslim whose father was born in Iran. He said he was questioned extensively by FBI agents at the U.S. Embassy in San Jose about his religious beliefs, practices and affiliations, and about his recent travels to destinations including Iran, where he has relatives.
Kevin Iraniha, after earning a masters degree in international law in Costa Rica, poses with his brothers Jahan, left, Shervin, second from left, and his father, Nasser, right. When he tried to return home to the United States, the San Diego native was barred from U.S.-bound flights.
He was not told why he was placed on the no-fly list, according to Mohebi, but was told he could return to the United States by alternative means.
Iraniha's brothers and father all were allowed to board aircraft flying directly to the United States.
Citing the U.S. Privacy Act and security reasons, the FBI will not confirm nor deny an individual’s inclusion on the no-fly list, which is intended to safeguard U.S. aviation. More than 20,000 individuals are on the list, including about 500 U.S. citizens, according to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, which maintains the list. These individuals are barred from all domestic flights and international flights that enter U.S. air space.
Mohebi said that Iraniha was staying out of the public eye for a few days as he recovers from the ordeal and decides how to proceed.
There are currently two major lawsuits challenging the federal government on its use of the no-fly list, its lack of transparency and an apparent lack of recourse for people who find themselves restricted by it. "Now that he is safely home, we can discuss the larger issue of how it is that people get onto that list," said Mohebi. "If an individual is dangerous enough that he should not be flying, shouldn’t he be arrested, brought to court, tried and prosecuted? And if this individual is dangerous enough not to fly (to the United States), why should he be allowed to fly to other countries … and drive in or walk across the border?"
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/08/12128098-california-grad-student-on-no-fly-list-gets-home-after-stranding?lite
comments
I defiantly feel there is a place for the no fly list, but how its used needs to change. Any US citizen that is added to it should have to be informed when it happens, and told exactly why they are on the list. Anyone on the list should also have a means to challenge their inclusion since there are clearly a LOT of people on the list that pose no threat.
...
John S - agree totally. I keep thinking about a toddler whose name was put on the list awhile back. It's one thing to be concerned for the safety of our country. It's another to go overboard with including US citizens without notifying them. As far as I know, citizens still have some rights in our country. Or am I wrong?
..
ing placed on a no fly list should require a court order, that would solve all the problems. You could still get an emergency order from a magistrate in urgent situations. it would immediately give you a ready made check and balance system where the decision is made and gives means for recourse through the appeals process.
...
Not only that, but there has to be some common sense. According to the article he was told that you can enter the US, you just can't fly there even though we've checked you out and are assured you aren't carrying any bombs. I thought that's why the government has allowed civilian employees to commit legal sexual assault on people.
It would seem to me that if the government has grounds to believe a US citizen is a terrorist, then check him out to make sure he is not carrying a bomb and then let him fly. Then, if there are grounds to arrest him, then arrest him when he walks off the plane. If the authorities don't have enough to arrest then one shouldn't be on the "no-fly" list as this is clearly a deprivation of rights as a US citizen.