V S OICES FROM ILENCE P A ERSONAL CCOUNTS OF THE L - I ONG TERM MPACT 9/11 OF FEBRUARY 2007 ABOUT MINNESOTAADVOCATES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS The Mission of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights is to implement internationalhumanrightsstandardstopromotecivilsocietyandreinforcethe rule of law. By involving volunteers in research, education, and advocacy, we build broad constituencies in the United States and selected global communities. MinnesotaAdvocates: • Investigates and exposes human rights violations internationally and in the United States. • Represents immigrants and refugees who are victims of human rights abuses. • Trains and assists groups that protect human rights. • Works through education and advocacy to engage the public, policy- makers and children about human rights and cultural understanding. MinnesotaAdvocateswasfoundedin1983byagroupofMinnesotaLawyerswho recognized the community’s unique spirit of social justice as an opportunity to promote and protect human rights in the United States and around the world. Theorganizationhasproducedmorethan50reportsdocumentinghumanrights practicesinmorethan25countries,andworkswithpartnersoverseasandinthe United States to restore and protect human rights. Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights hold Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. Produced by MinnesotaAdvocates for Human Rights 650 South ThirdAvenue, Suite 550 Minneapolis, MN 55402 (612) 341-3302 [email protected] Voices from Silence: PersonalAccounts of the Long-term Impact of 9/11 ISBN 978-0-929293-51-6 Copyright 2007 by MinnesotaAdvocates for Human Rights Printed in the United States ofAmerica All rights reserved. Statue of Liberty art provided by Minnesota portrait artist Rick Phillips. OICES FROM ILENCE P A ERSONAL CCOUNTS OF THE L -T I ONG ERM MPACT 9/ 11 OF VOICES FROM SILENCE II ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I had the distinct honor of directing the Post-9/11 The staff who helped with cite checking, bluebooking, Project during my Wellstone Legal Fellowship with the and proofreading: collective support of Minnesota Advocates for Human Kim Babine, Mary Ellingen, Emily Good, Ingrid Rights volunteer lawyers, interns, Board members, and Haugland, Mary Hunt, Laura Nelson, Rebecca Palmer, staff. I would like to thank: Rosalyn Park, Malinda Schmiechen, Ahmed Sirleaf, The generous student and attorney volunteers who David Takassi, Cheryl Thomas, Laura Young. helped conduct more than 100 interviews for this The interns who assisted in the final days of report: production: Rachel Boerum, Audrey Carr, Ben Connolly, Megan Randi Aho, Jamie Leadens Johnson, Anne Parsons, Elliott, Renata Fitzpatrick, Dulce Foster, Sarah Stacia Rosas, Jared Shepherd, Emily Sipiorski, Angela Hollings, Cecilia Jaisle, Katie Krile, Julieta Mendez, Weber, Karly Zufall. Laurie Miller, Leah Morgan, Joel Patrick Schroeder, Toni Seroshek, Margaret Theobold, Dick Zonneveld. My family, especially Mark Johnson, for his exceptional editing and support. The interns who helped with research and report drafting: Minnesota Advocates Executive Director Robin Phillips for her tireless commitment, compassion, and Sara Baber, Catherine Erickson, Taneeza Islam, guidance throughout. William Keeler, Margaret Lowenstein, Shantal Marshall, Sean Pettigrew, Eric B. Thrond, Carrie Booth Above all, I would like to thank the interviewees who Walling. showed courage in making their voices heard, so they dont suffer in silence and for the privilege of their Minnesota Advocates Board members, staff, and trust in sharing their stories with us. As the late Senator generous volunteers who helped with research, editing, Wellstone frequently said, We can remake the world and report drafting: daily. I hope that the sharing of these stories from Robert D. Aronson, Zarina Baber, Colleen Beebe, fellow Minnesotans will enable us to start a dialogue to Aviva Breen, Min Chong, James E. Dorsey, Barbara A. foster the attitudes and policies that value and protect Frey, Sarah Herder, Imani Jaafar-Mohammad, Marlene us all. Kayser, Jeffrey Keyes, Hyder Khan, Michele Garnett McKenzie, Dipankar Mukherjee, Jennifer Prestholdt, Laura Provinzino, Wellstone Legal Fellow 2004-06 Ellen Sampson, Ann Theisen, David S. Weissbrodt. Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights III VOICES FROM SILENCE IV TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD..........................................................................................................................VII INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................3 RESOURCES ..........................................................................................................................7 THE IMPACT OF 9/11 ON OUR COMMUNITY..............................................................................9 I. FEAR AND BLAME.................................................................................................9 II. HATE CRIMES.....................................................................................................13 III. FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT............................................................................17 IV. PROFILING..........................................................................................................21 V. TRAVEL/FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.......................................................................24 VI. IMMIGRATION......................................................................................................32 VII. THE ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT......................................................................35 VIII. RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION..........................................................40 IX. LOSS OF SENSE OF BELONGING AND ANTI-IMMIGRANT BACKLASH........................44 X. ACCESS TO SERVICES........................................................................................47 XI. ROLE OF THE MEDIA...........................................................................................50 XII. COMMUNITY RESPONSES....................................................................................52 FEDERAL LEGISLATION........................................................................................................55 MINNESOTA S RESPONSE TO 9/11........................................................................................67 CONCLUSION.......................................................................................................................75 APPENDIX A: METHODOLOGY...............................................................................................77 APPENDIX B: PROPOSED FEDERAL LEGISLATION.................................................................81 APPENDIX C: PROPOSED MINNESOTA LEGISLATION..............................................................87 APPENDIX D: HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARDS...........................................................................91 V VOICES FROM SILENCE VI FOREWORD FOREWORD Late in the afternoon of September 13, 2001, a discriminatory behavior targeted at people based on Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights staff attorney their race or perceived religious affiliations. was meeting in our office with two of our pro bono For example, a Minnesota Advocates staff attorney, a clients, a Christian couple fleeing religious persecution Sikh man, was denied access to a client at the in Egypt. Although it had been rescheduled from the Washington County jail in Stillwater, Minnesota. He afternoon of September 11, this meeting to prepare was told that he must remove his turban or he would their application for asylum was routine for our be denied entry to the facility. He told the official that organization, which provides legal representation to such a rule denied his client a right to counsel and hundreds of asylum seekers each year. During the denied him a right to practice his religion. He produced meeting, however, two uniformed Minneapolis police his attorney license to no avail. The official told him officers obtained access to the locked offices of that his entry was a safety concern but sought out the Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights and, without supervisors input. The supervisor indicated that he warning, entered the room where our clients were could meet with the client but that he could not be meeting with their attorney. The police apologized for given a private meeting room for an attorney-client interrupting the meeting, but stated that they were meeting. Instead, he had to meet with his client in a obligated to investigate a report that a Middle Eastern monitored room, communicating via telephone. man had entered the building, which was located next to the Federal Building in downtown Minneapolis. After In September 2001, we could not have envisioned the they departed, we could see the fear in our clients extent to which the new laws and policies would eyes as he asked, Am I not supposed to walk on the silence refugee, immigrant, and religious minorities. In street anymore? the aftermath of September 11, several individuals have requested that Minnesota Advocates address the We knew then that the impact of September 11 on our negative impact of the governmental and societal clients and on our friends, colleagues, and responses on entire groups of innocent people in our ourselves would go far beyond the loss and grief that community. One man, a Muslim naturalized U.S. we all felt when the World Trade Center fell. citizen, implored Minnesota Advocates staff to take We could not then have imagined, however, what the action: [I]t is not safe for us to speak out; you must long-term government and community response to the speak out for us now. terrorist attacks would be, nor the lasting impact of this This report is an attempt to give voice to these response on Minnesotans from refugee, immigrant, concerns. It is not meant to be a comprehensive or a and religious minority communities. The fear in the scientific study. It is meant to illustrate the impact that general public created by the United States widespread discriminatory private actions, as well as governments War on Terror has had a dramatic public laws and policies that have overturned effect on the daily lives of many Minnesotans. We have longstanding, fundamental legal protections, have had received many reports from the public, as well as from on real people and their families. In some cases, it is staff and volunteers of Minnesota Advocates, of difficult to discern whether a specific situation was VII VOICES FROM SILENCE caused by the reaction to the September 11 terrorist attacks or by persistent racism that existed long before 2001. Our experience in preparing this report suggests that it is likely a combination of both. We at Minnesota Advocates continue to work toward our vision of a country where every person not only has the right to express his or her point of view, but every person also feels safe in doing so. We hope that by listening to these voices and by seeking out the voices of others, we are increasing the likelihood that future discussions about national security, civil liberties, and immigration will include recognition of the inherent human rights and dignity of all people. Robin Phillips Executive Director VIII