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Samina Sundas: Targeting American Muslims

Samina Sundas helped her fellow Muslims and Pakistani-Americans integrate into mainstream American society, and her role intensified after 9/11. When the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS, also known as the Special Registration program) was instituted in September 2002, Muslims all over the United States contacted her confused and worried about how it would affect them. She couldn't get clear answers from federal immigration officials despite several meetings. After that, she set up an ad hoc hotline that has since become part of an organization called American Muslim Voice.

My Story

The Order for Special Registration. I was getting calls from Muslim communities, are we going to be put in camps ... (0:48)
Impact of Targeting on Muslim Communities. We had 24 hours, 7 days a week for about 6-9 months ... (1:09)
The Targeting Continues. I just came back from Pakistan, so I saw at the airport, now they are registering ... (0:58)

Themes

Corralled. In times of national crisis, whole groups of people have been corralled simply because of their ethnicity or political affiliation. Their activities or loyalties were presumed to be suspect and a potential threat to American society. Max Werkenthin, Art Shibayama, Jack O'Dell, Samina Sundas and Roxanne Attie found themselves caught up in such corralling.