Author: mopress

  • Archive: CCA Hutto Unit

    CCA Facilities Locations

    “Only the second detention facility in the nation designed to house families, the center is part of a new push by U.S. immigration authorities to detain rather than release illegal immigrants awaiting deportation.
    “The location is owned and run by Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America, which, like other private prison operators, is bracing for an increase in business from measures to curb illegal immigration. The Hutto Center opened last week under a contract with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, reversing last year’s decision by CCA to shut down the then-underutilized prison.

    “We do expect there’ll be an increased need for detention beds,” said John Ferguson, chief executive with CCA, citing the spotlight on immigration including legislation being discussed in Congress.”
    Prison operator competes for federal contracts to house detainees”

    –By GETAHN WARD, Sunday, 05/21/06
    archived at The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

    CCA was founded in 1983 by Nashville businessmen Thomas Beasley and Doctor Crants along with Don Hutto, who was then the president-elect of the American Correctional Association. In 1983, CCA was awarded the first private design, build and manage contract from the Immigration and Naturalization Service for 330 detainees in Houston, and the Houston Processing Center opened in early 1984.
    –PR Newswire archive at ZoomInfo

    Closure of T. Don Hutto Correctional Center

    In a separate announcement, CCA has indicated its intent to cease operations at the CCA-owned and operated T. Don Hutto Correctional Center located in Taylor, Texas on May 14, 2004, due to low inmate population demands in the facility’s region. CCA expects to be able to transfer the majority of the approximate 60 federal offenders currently housed in the 480-bed facility to other CCA-operated facilities.

    CCA does not expect the closing of this facility to have a material impact on its previously announced 2004 earnings per share guidance.
    –from CCA news release, March 23, 2004

    Corrections Corporation of America Announces Agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement for CCA Texas Facility

    December 2, 2005

    Corrections Corporation of America, the nation’s largest provider of corrections management services to government agencies, announced today that it has reached an agreement with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to manage up to 600 detainees at CCA’s T. Don Hutto Correctional Center in Taylor, Texas.

    CCA management expects to begin accepting ICE detainees on February 1, 2006. Although the contract does not provide for a guaranteed occupancy, the Company expects the facility to be substantially occupied before the end of the second quarter of 2006. The Company intends to provide guidance for 2006 in its fourth quarter earnings release and conference call expected to occur in February 2006.

    “Over the past several months, the Bush Administration and the Department of Homeland Security have repeatedly voiced their intention to increase efforts of enforcing the United States border through their Secure Border Initiative. The Secure Border Initiative is a comprehensive multi-year plan to secure America’s borders and reduce illegal immigration. We believe this contract represents an important step in this ongoing initiative being undertaken by ICE,” stated John Ferguson, president and chief executive officer.

    Ferguson continued, “CCA is gratified by the continued confidence that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed in its partnership with us. We remain prepared to accommodate the future needs of this long-standing CCA customer.”

    1997 lease agreement for the Hutto detention center, posted as a “sample contract” at a continuing legal education website:
    http://contracts.onecle.com/corrections/taylor.lease.1997.07.18.shtml

                                     LEASE AGREEMENT
                                        (TAYLOR)
    
             THIS LEASE AGREEMENT ("Lease") dated as of the 18th day of July, 1997,
    by and between CCA PRISON REALTY TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust
    ("Landlord") and CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA, a Tennessee corporation
    ("Tenant").
    
                                        RECITALS
    
             WHEREAS, Tenant (or one of Tenant's affiliates) has concurrently
    conveyed to Landlord the property described in Exhibit A hereto, and Landlord
    and Tenant desire that Landlord lease such property back to Tenant; and
    
             WHEREAS, Landlord and Tenant have entered into a Master Agreement to
    Lease of even date herewith (the "Master Agreement") which sets forth certain
    agreements of the parties with respect to the lease of various properties
    including the property that is the subject of this Lease;
    
             NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of their
    respective agreements and undertakings herein, Landlord and Tenant agree as
    follows:
    
                                        ARTICLE I
                                    PREMISES AND TERM
    
             1.1 Leased Property.  Landlord hereby leases to Tenant and Tenant 
    leases from Landlord the Land located in the City of Taylor, Williamson County,
    State of Texas, described in Exhibit A hereto, and all Improvements, Fixtures,
    and Personal Property thereon or thereto (each as defined in the Master
    Agreement, and, together with said Land, the "Leased Property"); such Leased
    Property collectively known and described at the date hereof as the T. Don Hutto
    Correctional Center;
    
             SUBJECT, HOWEVER, to the lien of the mortgage debt described in Exhibit
    B hereto, if any, and to all easements, liens, encumbrances, restrictions,
    agreements, and other title matters existing as of the date hereof and listed in
    Exhibit C hereto (collectively the "Permitted Exceptions").
    
             1.2 Term. The initial term (the "Fixed Term") of the Lease shall be for
    a fixed term of twelve (12) years commencing on July 18, 1997 (the "Commencement
    Date") and expiring on July 17, 2009 (the "Expiration Date"). The Term of this
    Lease may be renewed on the mutual agreement of Landlord and Tenant as follows:
    (i) provided that Tenant gives Landlord notice on or before the date which is
    six (6) months prior to the Expiration Date, upon the mutual agreement of
    Landlord and Tenant, the Lease shall be renewed for one (1) additional five (5)
    year term (the "Extended Term") on the same terms and provisions (other than
    with respect to renewal) as the Fixed Term, as set forth in the Lease; (ii)
    provided that Tenant gives Landlord notice on or before the date which is six
    (6) months prior to the expiration of the Extended Term, upon the mutual
    agreement of Landlord and Tenant, the Lease shall be renewed for one (1)
    additional five (5) year term (the "Second Extended Term") on the same terms and
    provisions (other than with respect to renewal) as
    
                 
    
       2
    
    
    the Fixed Term, as set forth in the Lease; and (iii) provided that Tenant gives
    Landlord notice on or before the date which is six (6) months prior to the
    expiration of the Second Extended Term, upon the mutual agreement of Landlord
    and Tenant, the Lease shall be renewed for one (1) additional five (5) year term
    (the "Third Extended Term") on the same terms and provisions (other than with
    respect to renewal) as the Fixed Term, as set forth in the Lease. Tenant's right
    to so extend the Term of the Lease is conditioned on Landlord's prior approval
    of the Extended Term, Second Extended Term, or Third Extended Term, as the case
    may be. The term "Term" used in this Agreement means the Fixed Term, Extended
    Term, Second Extended Term and Third Extended Term, as appropriate. The term
    "Lease Year" means each twelve (1
    2) month period during the Term commencing on
    January 1 and ending on December 31, except the first Lease Year of each Lease
    shall be the period from the Commencement Date through the following December
    31, and the last Lease Year shall end on the date of termination of the Lease if
    a day other than December 31. Landlord may terminate this Lease prior to the
    expiration of the Term hereof, at any time following the date which is five (5)
    years from the date hereof, upon written notice to Tenant not less than eighteen
    (18) months prior to the effective date of such termination.
    
                                       ARTICLE II
                                          RENT
    
             2.1 Base Rent. Tenant shall pay Landlord Base Rent for the Term in
    advance in consecutive monthly installments payable on the first day of each
    month during the Term, the Extended Term, Second Extended Term and the Third
    Extended Term, commencing on the Commencement Date, in accordance with the Base
    Rent Schedule attached hereto as Exhibit D. If the Commencement Date or the
    Expiration Date shall be other than on the first day of a calendar month, the
    initial (or final, as appropriate) monthly installment of Base Rent payable
    pursuant to the Lease shall be prorated for the number of days until, in the
    case of the initial monthly installment, the first day of the calendar month
    following the Commencement Date and, in the case of the final monthly
    installment, the Expiration Date.
    
             2.2 Additional Rent.  The Base Rent shall be subject to such increases
    over the Term as determined pursuant to Section 2.02 of the Master Agreement.
    
             2.3 Other Additional Rent.  Tenant shall also pay all Other Additional 
    Rent with respect to the Leased Property, as set forth in the Master Agreement.
    
                                       ARTICLE III
                               OTHER TERMS AND CONDITIONS
    
             3.1 Master Agreement Incorporated Herein. All provisions of the Master
    Agreement (except any provisions expressly therein not to be a part of an
    individual lease of leased property) are hereby incorporated in and are a part
    of this Lease of the Leased Property.
    
                                            2
    
    
       3
    
    
    
             3.2 Recordation. At the request of Landlord or Tenant, a short form
    memorandum of this Lease may be recorded in the real estate records of any
    county which Landlord or Tenant deems appropriate in order to provide legal
    notice of the existence hereof.
    
             IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Landlord and the Tenant have executed this
    Lease or caused the same to be executed by their respective duly authorized
    officers as of the date first set forth above.
    
                                                  CCA PRISON REALTY TRUST
    
                                                  By: /s/ Michael W. Devlin
                                                     -------------------------------
                                                  Title: Chief Development Officer
                                                        ----------------------------
                                                  CORRECTIONS CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    
                                                  By: /s/ Doctor R. Crants
                                                     -------------------------------
                                                  Title: Chief Executive Officer
                                                        ----------------------------
    
                                            3
    
    
       4
    
    
    
                                        EXHIBIT A
    
                          Legal Description of Leased Property
    
                              Metes and Bounds Description
                                      64.513 Acres
                              Wm. R. Williams Survey, A-665
                              James C. Eaves Survey, A-214
                                Williamson County, Texas
    
    Being a tract containing 64.513 acres of land situated in the Wm. R. Williams 
    Survey, Abstract No. 665 and the James C. Eaves Survey, Abstract No. 214 in the
    City of Taylor, Williamson County, Texas and being all of a called 64.537 acre
    parcel described in deed to Corrections Corporation of America recorded in
    Document Number 9639935 of the Official Records Williamson County, Texas
    (O.R.W.C.T.). Said 64.513 acre tract being more particularly described by metes
    and bounds with all bearings referenced to the aforementioned deed of record:
    
    BEGINNING at a 1/2-inch iron rod found in a south right-of-way line of Welch
    Street being the northwest corner of said Tract 1 and the northeast corner of a
    called 16.16 acre tract described in deed to Our Lady of Gaudalupe Church
    recorded in Volume 1482, page 866 of said O.R.W.C.T.;
    
    THENCE, North 87 degrees 11 minutes 00 seconds East, along said Welch Street
    right-of-way line, a distance of 1,623.43 feet to a 1/2-iron rod found in the
    west right-of-way line of Park Street (60.00 feet wide) per the plat of Doak's
    Addition to the Town of Taylor, a subdivision of record in Volume 56, page 483
    of the Williamson County Deed Records (W.C.D.R.) and being the northeast corner
    of said Tract 1;
    
    THENCE, South 05 degrees 17 minutes 10 seconds East, departing said Welch Street
    and along said Park Street right-of-way line, a distance of 1,708.31 feet to a
    1/2-inch iron rod found for the northeast corner of a called 9.0 acre tract
    described in deed to Mary Rundell and J. Sorenson recorded in Volume 270, page
    54 of the Williamson County Probate Records and being the southeast corner of
    said Tract 1;
    
    THENCE, South 85 degrees 12 minutes 10 seconds West (called South 85 degrees 11
    minutes 13 seconds West), departing said Park Street and along the north line of
    said 9.00 acre tract and along the north line of a called 31.60 acre tract
    described as Sixth Tract in deed to Wilhemie Sorenson recorded in Volume 1967,
    page 117 of said O.R.W.C.T, a distance of 1,618.76 feet (called 1,618.44 feet)
    to a 1/2-inch iron rod found for an interior corner of said 31.60 acre tract and
    being the southwest corner of said Tract 1;
    
    THENCE, North 04 degrees 48 minutes 00 seconds West (called North 04 degrees 55
    minutes 32 seconds West), along the most northerly easterly line of said 31.60
    acre tract, at a distance of 305.77 feet pass a found 3/4-inch iron rod, 0.12
    feet left and continuing for a total distance of 355.87 feet
    
    
    
    
       5
    
    
    
    (called 306.32 feet) to a 1/2-inch iron rod found for the most northerly corner
    of said 31.60 acre tract and being the southeast corner of the aforementioned
    16.16 acre tract;
    
    THENCE, North 05 degrees 32 minutes 24 seconds West (called North 05 degrees 30
    minutes 03 seconds West), along the easterly line of said 16.16 acre tract, a
    distance of 1,408.61 feet (called 1,458.59 feet) to the POINT OF BEGINNING and
    containing a computed area of 64.513 acres of land, more or less.
    
    Prepared by:
    SURVCON INC.
    400 West 15th, Suite 500
    Austin, Texas 78701
    Job No. 4775-01
    April 1997
    Revised: June 1997
    
                                                    T. Don Hutto Correctional Center
                                                    Taylor, Williamson County, Texas
    
    
    
       6
    
    
    
                                        EXHIBIT B
    
                                      Mortgage Debt
    
                       Property: T. Don Hutto Correctional Center
    
    This property is subject to the following Mortgage Debt:
    
                That certain deed of trust of First Uni*n National Bank of 
    Tennessee, as Administrative Agent, dated July 18, 1997.
    
                                            6
    
    
       7
    
    
    
                                        EXHIBIT C
    
                                  Permitted Exceptions
    
                       Property: T. Don Hutto Correctional Center
    
    1.       Standby fees, taxes and assessments by any taxing authority for the 
             year 1997, and subsequent years.
    
    2.       An easement dated February 28, 1928, granted to Texas Power & Light 
             Company of Dallas, Texas by Nellie G. Bowers, individually and as
             executrix of the Estate of A. L. Bowers, Deceased, et al., recorded in
             Volume 235, page 534, Deed Records, Williamson County, Texas.
    
    3.       An undivided 1/8th interest i
    n all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 238, Page 363, Deed Records, Williamson
             County, Texas.
    
    4.       An undivided 1/8th interest of all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 299, Page 572, Deed Records, Williamson
             County, Texas.
    
    5.       An undivided 1/2 interest in all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 544, Page 97, Deed Records, Williamson
             County, Texas.
    
    6.       An undivided 1/6 interest in all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 544, Page 99, Deed Records, Williamson
             County, Texas.
    
    7.       An undivided 1/2 interest in all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 1088, Page 309, Official Records,
             Williamson County, Texas.
    
    8.       An undivided 1/2 interest in all oil, gas and other minerals on, in,
             under or that may be produced from the subject property as set forth in
             instrument recorded in Volume 1133, Page 880, Official Records,
             Williamson County, Texas.
    
    9.       All matters shown on the ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey, dated April 17, 
             1997, as revised June 24, 1997, prepared by Arthur W. Girts, Jr.,
             R.P.L.S. No. 4741, Survcon Inc., 400 W. 15th, Suite 500, Austin, Texas
             78701, Job #4775-01.
    
    
    
       8
    
    
                                        EXHIBIT D
    
                                   Base Rent Schedule
    
                       Property: T. Don Hutto Correctional Center
    
             Tenant will pay to Landlord annual Base Rent of $2,541,000.00, payable
    in equal monthly installments of $211,750.00.
    
             Base Rent for the Extended Term, Second Extended Term and Third
    Extended Term shall be equal to the fair market rental value of the Leased
    Property as of the respective commencement dates thereof.
    
    
    
  • Palestinian Refugees and Children Held at Hutto Jail

    By Greg Moses

    CounterPunch / DissidentVoice / UrukNet /

    Indymedia Austin, North Texas, Houston /

    Some of the children and a pregnant woman being held in an immigration jail in Texas are Palestinian refugees whose families came to the USA with visas, says a Dallas lawyer.

    Immigration attorney John Wheat Gibson represents two families that include a pregnant woman and children ages 2, 3, 5, 12, 14, and 17. The families have been incarcerated since their midnight arrests in early November by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “The children, imprisoned with their mothers, have never been accused of any wrongdoing. Neither have their mothers,” says Gibson. “All are Palestinian refugees who entered the U.S. legally, but have been denied asylum.”

    The fathers were separated from their families, the two-year-old was placed into foster care, and the remaining women and children were sent to the privatized Hutto jail in Taylor, Texas. The education of the school-aged children has been interrupted.

    In an affidavit supplied by Gibson, one of the fathers, Adel Said Suleiman, says that he was identified as a refugee by the United Nations before coming to the USA in 1995. He claims that his immigration status has been mishandled by others, but that he has never been accused of any crimes or wrongdoings.

    Suleiman’s wife, Asma Quddoura, is in the Hutto jail with their son, Ayman, a 17-year-old senior at Arlington’s James Bowie High School. Attorney Gibson, who now represents Suleiman, says his client was not provided with due notice of a deportation order.

    Suleiman, a diabetic, sits in a chilly cell at the Garvin County Jail, Oklahoma, where the stink from an overflowing toilet “is horrible.”

    “There is another diabetic, here, too,” says the Suleiman affidavit. “The guards bring us evening medication late, after supper, although it should be taken with food. The food served here is dangerous to diabetics, because it is sweet. I asked them to leave the sugar out of my oatmeal, but they refused. I take medication in the morning and because I cannot take it with food my blood sugar is very low.”

    The second father, Salaheddin Ibrahim, was also separated from his family, including his pregnant wife, Hanan Ahmad. Four of the Ibrahim children–Hamzeh, 14; Rodaina, 12; Maryam, 5; and Faten, 3–are incarcerated with their mother. A two-year-old daughter was placed in foster care. Ibrahim was sent to another Texas jail in Haskell.

    At one point, says Gibson, Amad’s children “became hysterical when guards wrapped her in wrist and leg chains to take her to the hospital.”

    “Compare the treatment of the Colombian wife of Georgia State Senator Curt B. Thompson last week,” Gibson said.

    “She also was under a final order of deportation, but the DHS did not detain her, even though, unlike my clients, she had been hiding from them since November 28, according to Brenda Goodman, writing in the New York Times, December 6.”

    The privatized Hutto jail was the focus of a walk and vigil last week by Texas activists protesting the incarceration of immigrants and their children.

    “Innocent children should not be jailed and forced to live under traumatizing and dehumanizing conditions,” said a statement from vigil organizers, Texans United for Families. “It is bad policy and an impractical and inhumane response to a growing refugee crisis. The U.S. should seek alternatives to detention while making sure that it legislates policies that support families and keep them together and out of jail.”

    Jay Johnson-Castro, a South Texas businessman who earned recognition for his walk protesting the planned border wall, also walked from the nearby Texas Capitol to join the vigil. In a follow-up email, Johnson-Castro encouraged more activism:

    “Get access into these so called ‘detention centers’ which are little more than prison camps that exploit desperate people only to make obscene profits.”

    The Hutto jail is named after T. Don Hutto, co-founder of Correctional Corporation of America (CCA), the jail’s corporate proprietor. In 2004, CCA announced that the jail would be closed for lack of occupancy, but the site was revived as a result of new immigration enforcement policies.

    “Although the [Hutto jail] contract does not provide for a guaranteed occupancy,” said a December 2005 release from CCA, “the Company expects the facility to be substantially occupied before the end of the second quarter of 2006.” Activists say the jail detains 400 immigrants, half of them children.

    “We believe this contract represents an important step in this ongoing initiative being undertaken by ICE,” stated John Ferguson, president and chief executive officer of CCA, shortly before Christmas last year.

    The Suleiman affidavit is posted below, along with a press release from attorney Gibson.–gm

  • CHILDREN IN PRISON IN TAYLOR, TEXAS

    By John Wheat Gibson
    December 15, 2006

    The children of the Ibrahim family, 3, 5, 12, and 14 have been in prison in Taylor, Texas in the “T. Don Hutto Residential Center,” since November 3, 2006,when their mother and father were arrested in a midnight raid on their home in Dallas by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The three oldest children are enrolled in school, but have been unable to attend while in prison. The BICE took the 2-year-old daughter away from her mother and siblings, and placed her in a foster home.
    A midnight raid by the BICE also landed a 17-year-old senior at Bowie High School, in Arlington, Texas in the prison, spoiling his senior year and destroying his hopes of graduation.

    The children, imprisoned with their mothers, have never been accused of any wrongdoing. Neither have their mothers. All are Palestinian refugees who entered the U.S. legally, but have been denied asylum.

    The Ibrahim children, Hamzeh, 14, Rodaina, 12, Maryam, 5, and Faten, 3, are the children of Salaheddin Ibrahim and Hanan Ahmad. Mr. Ibrahim is in the jail at Haskell, Texas.

    Ayman Suleiman is imprisoned with his mother Asma Quddoura. His father Adel Suleiman is in the Garvin County Jail in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

    Hanan Ahmad is a few weeks pregnant. Her children became hysterical when guards wrapped her in wrist and leg chains to take her to the hospital.

    Their attorney, John Wheat Gibson, said, “There is no legitimate reason for the detention of the children, even though a Department of Homeland Stupidity press release accuses them of being ‘fugitives’ and ‘criminals.’ In fact, they are neither, and their parents always kept the Department informed of their current address.”

    Gibson described the roundup of the families November 3 as “Chertoff’s publicity stunt.” He said the purpose was “to make it appear that 1) the Muslims among us are our enemies but 2) the DHS is protecting us, and therefore 3) we should not mind shredding the Constitution.”

    The Suleiman and Ibrahim families had been ordered deported, but had never received the customary notice to report for deportation. If they had, Gibson said, they would have worked out through their attorneys arrangements with the government for the children to finish the school year and then to depart at their own expense.”

    “Compare the treatment of the Colombian wife of Georga State Senator Curt B. Thompson last week,” Gibson said.

    “She also was under a final order of deportation, but the DHS did not detain her, even though, unlike my clients, she had been hiding from them since November 28, according to Brenda Goodman, writing in the New York Times, December 6.”

    While the four Ibrahim children and their mother are in prison in Taylor, the 2-year-old daughter is in foster care because she was born in the U.S. The DHS would not allow her to remain with her mother and siblings.

    “Two months is a long time for a 2-year-old baby to be torn away from her mother–especially for no reason other than a cynical political publicity stunt,” Gibson said.

    –30–

  • A Right of Return for American Twin Girls and their Family?

    The following email from Ralph Isenberg is a dawn musing on the frustration of trying to visualize justice for the Suleiman family. The email references Isenberg’s spouse, Nicole, and New York attorneys Ted Cox and Joshua Bardavid. He also discusses a draft testimonial from the teenage youth Ayman Suleiman recounting his experiences of arrest, imprisonment, and deportation. A response to the email from Ayman’s father, Adel Suleiman in Jordan follows.–gm

    The Suleiman Family and the Law

    Hi Guys,

    5:30 am here in Dallas and I woke up thinking about the Suleiman Family. I understand all the reasons why they (father, mother and son) can not come back to the United States. What I do not understand are why we can not prosecute the reasons why they can come back to the United States. Allow me to humor you guys. Law to me has always been based on two simple premises; common sense and right and wrong. Common sense screams at us that the right thing to do is to bring the entire family home. How we do that is the more interesting question.

    I believe that while our current policies may have changed the laws of Congress still promotes family unity, humanitarian concern and of the public interest. I submit the Suleiman Family falls into all of these major areas of concern. It is my understanding of law that the laws of Congress rule over policies enacted to enforce the law; thus we have one tier of our court system. But it does not stop there.

    We also have Constitutional law which is not exclusive to citizens. The main area of concern here is the doctrine of “due process.” It is further my understanding that Constitutional law rules over the laws of Congress. Here also the Suleiman Family has claim to relief. I believe the fact that the Suleiman Family was forced from this country by duress is a clear violation of due process. I also believe that past attorney error was also a violation of the due process doctrine. These concepts and other doctrines of fairness need to be bottled up and prosecuted. We may be on new turf but it would be wrong to the family not to try.

    Think outside of the box with me. When Nicole and I got on that plane to China many thought we would never be back or it would take years at best. We were back in fourteen months. Ted, do you recall those fourteen months. How many times did you give me hope where there was none. Josh, you were lucky and did not know me then or you would have learned how to speak Chinese like Ted.

    Every time I got hit with bad news I made something potentially good happen. In the end I believe it was my brief work that I presented to the Department of State that led to our freedom. The law was in need of a simple explanation. In the case of the Suleiman Family I believe we need to start in Federal District Court and go form there. I also believe that we are on solid ground to enlist the assistance of the FBI as it relates to human rights violations by those directly and indirectly connected with ICE here in Dallas. What we did to this family was clearly illegal and those that violated the law need to pay.

    An example of “out of the box thinking:” Can we not file suit in whatever circuit the family might intend to live in? Put differently, if the family says they are going to live in Queens, file the actions in Queens, I say this because they are in deed out of the United States right now and I’m not sure the Fifth Circuit has any more jurisdiction over them than say the Second or Third.

    I know you guys have read the story written by the father and the one written by the son. I know you have also read the events that the twins were exposed to. I think of my children and how I would feel if these actions were happening to me. To some extent they did and thus I am very dedicated to helping people. We may not have a leg to stand on but a leg we will in fact stand on. In so doing we let the Suleiman Family know that they are not alone and we care.

    Guys, I appreciate you very much and look forward to once again doing battle with you. Ours is the higher ground to stand on.

    ************

    Dear Mr.I,

    I just read your statement Suleiman family and the law. I don’t know but i just felt the need to write you back. first i do appreciate what you are doing , but I’m sure you don’t need our thanks you need more than that because i used to feel the same way when i used to help somebody. helping others it’s spiritual message, only special people and chosen people get that message and carry it out.

    i just would like to let you know that me and my family are in the bottom of the well in spite of all the darkness we see in front of us, yet we keep our heads up and we see birds of freedom flying over the well and you are one of them, matter of fact you are the only one… what ever happens , what ever the result you’ll be in my and my family’s prayers……

    Adel S.