Arab-American paratrooper faces deportation after Afghan service

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: Guardian Unlimited

· Highly decorated sergeant ordered to stand trial
· Anti-discrimination committee protests

A highly decorated Arab-American sergeant in the US army, who is currently serving as a paratrooper in Afghanistan, faces deportation on his return to the United States because of an irregularity in his immigration papers.

Sgt Hicham Benkabbou has been served with an order to stand trial for deportation as soon as he arrives home, despite the fact that he has been on active service in Afghanistan for almost two years with the 508th parachute infantry regiment, known as the Red Devils.

His lawyers say his treatment illustrates the harsh justice meted out to Arab-Americans by the US immigration authorities.

Benkabbou came to the US from his native Morocco in 1987, and was granted permanent residency four years ago. But when he applied to become a naturalised US citizen in 2005 - by which time he was already serving in the army - immigration officials discovered that he had failed to register his first marriage and alleged that the ceremony had been arranged fraudulently to get him into the country.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2220866,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=12

[uppityperson]

1. k&r for idiocy hurting us more and more

[Javaman]

2. moron*, here's more gasoline for the fire. nt

[NBachers]

6. Please identify that photo

I know that photo from a long time ago, but I can't remember the story and context. Please give me a quick review.

[Javaman]

7. It's from the 1968 Democratic convention. nt

[SyntaxError]

3. Any ideas on how much of a risk this is for him?

Am I naive to assume that the army would come to his defense?

[NavyDavy]

4. depends on how good a soldier he is

[damntexdem]

5. Typical Bushista support for the troops.

Serve and the Bushistas will always reward you at least this well. ;-)

It's time to put ICE on ice.

[The Stranger]

8. Don't forget -- This is Horowitz's "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" -- these racist attitudes follow.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

9. how old is this guy?

If he entered the US to get married in 1987?