SEVEN YEARS ago today, this country was
devastated by an attack against our civilians by
terrorists who had no respect for life, liberty
or justice. The resulting effect had many
reactions that were both positive and negative,
including the positive galvanization of the
American people towards an evil existence, and
the unfortunate confusion as to where exactly
that evil existed.
Among the people the government went after in
the post-Sept. 11 world was Imam Mohammed
Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic
Center of Passaic County.
Qatanani has six children, three of whom were
born in this country and all of whom were raised
here. Every morning those kids go to school,
where they pledge their allegiance to a republic
that has "liberty and justice for all." They are
well-behaved students who do well in school, yet
they have been unable to apply for college
scholarships while their father was facing
deportation charges.
But last week, in a decision that ends years
of bureaucratic haggling and litigation from the
government, an immigration judge issued a
favorable, 69-page verdict allowing Qatanani to
remain in the United States legally and
permanently with his family.
"I am very happy with the decision because I
feel the decision is very fair and just," said
Qatanani in an interview with me. "It is a good
for Muslims and for New Jersey at large as well,
because justice won. We have to continue the
journey with our friends to give the others in
the world a good example of living together in
harmony."
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials
wanted to deport Qatanani and his family
because, they say, he failed to disclose in his
green card application a 1993 Israeli Military
Court conviction against him for assisting
Hamas, a political organization that holds a
majority of seats on the Palestinian National
Authority and which is listed as a terrorist
organization by the United States. Qatanani
denied ever assisting the group, and said he was
never even aware that the Israeli court had
convicted him.
The large interfaith community that supported
Qatanani included such notable people as Rep.
Bill Pascrell, U.S. Attorney Chris Christie and
various Jewish and Christian clerics. They
supported him all along because they felt that a
peaceful man like Qatanani, who has done much in
the way of interfaith understanding and dialogue
in the post-Sept. 11 world, is exactly the type
of person who should be allowed to stay in the
United States.
Problems not fully over
But the judge's ruling does not necessarily
end Qatanani's problem. The government may still
appeal, something the large interfaith community
that supported Qatanani joins him in hoping will
not happen.
"I hope that the government will stop at this
point and accept this decision," added Qatanani.
"I hope they will finish my family's suffering.
We also want to save the money of taxpayers and
the government."
An appeal would further delay for 30 days
Qatanani's application for permanent residency,
which means that he and his family will still
not be able to apply for college scholarships or
driver's licenses.
Therefore, the government should not only
choose not to appeal this decision, but should
waive its right to appeal immediately, thus
ending the suffering of the imam and his family.
If they do, Qatanani's children and their
classmates can continue to pledge with
conviction that this is a country that truly has
liberty and justice for all.
Ahmed Soliman's columns appear Thursdays.
Contact him at oped@northjersey.com.
