Tariqul Islam

Country of Origin: Bangaldesh

Currently LIving In: Norwalk, CT

I am a native of Bangladesh. I came to the United States in 1996 to pursue studies in engineering at the University of Alabama. I voluntarily went to comply with the Department of Justice�s Special Registration program on April 24, 2003. Like thousands of other registrants, I found out that I had to register through non-government sources, not the federal government. I had no idea that by complying with the law that I would be put into deportation proceedings and possibly expelled from the United States. My fate now rests in my political asylum hearing upcoming in the next few months.

When I went to register, I had no idea what to expect from the process. Before I was even able enter 26 Federal Plaza, I had to wait on a long line outside for close to three hours. By the time I got into the building I had to wait for another nine hours before an immigration agent saw me. While on the third floor of the building the immigration agents did not inform me that I was entitled to have a lawyer, a translator, nor that anything I said could possibly be used against me. Without an attorney present I was asked questions about my activities here in the United States, my family, political affiliations, and criminal history. After surrendering my passport and all my information, the agent came to know that my student visa had expired. Since it was close to 9pm in the evening, the agent told me to come back in two weeks for follow up questioning. I was kept at Federal Plaza for twelve hours without food or water.

I returned to Federal Plaza after two weeks, and reported promptly at 9am. Ten hours later, at 7pm two agents escorted me to the 10th floor for further questioning. On the 10th floor I was told to remove my belt and empty my pockets and was put in a holding cell, where I waited close to an hour. Again, I was barred from leaving the building to get food or water. The whole process made me feel like I was a criminal and that my rights were being violated. After an hour of waiting in the holding cell, I was presented with a Notice to Appear before an Immigration Judge and a hearing date. I was put into deportation proceedings. I never could have imagined that I would be put into deportation proceedings by coming forward to INS. I thought I was doing something honorable by registering, but instead the government deceived me. I am the scapegoat of the Bush Administration�s war on terror.

I never intended to fall out of status, but due to financial hardships, I was forced to drop out of my university program a semester before I was scheduled to graduate. Wanting to finish my studies in the United States, I remained here but was not able to renew my student visa because I could not afford to pay the high tuition. The tuition for international students is exorbitantly high, and to make matters worse, we are barred form applying for any financial aid, loans, or a social security number to get a well paying off-campus job. I had few options but to drop out.

I greatly fear being deported to Bangladesh because of my social beliefs. I do not believe in Islam or organized religion. Due to my beliefs, I was physically attacked and persecuted by religious groups in my home country. In one instance, after writing a school paper about my beliefs, my teacher expeled me from school. In Bangladesh, I was in constant fear of talking about my beliefs to anyone, and now I fear, that if I am deported, the harassment will continue. My family has informed me numerous times that it is not safe for me to return to Bangladesh.

I ask that the Commission members take the time to analyze the human toll Special Registration has had on individuals, families, and communities. It is my hope that you all take a stand in condemning this program and ask for the future prevention of such racist programs in the wake of national tragedies. The federal government should not be able to discriminatorily compromise people�s civil and human rights in order to profile, detain, and deport innocent people. The war on terror should not be the war on immigrants.