Texas Ki Palestinian Mahila Ki Kahani
Ek 22-saal ki Palestinian mahila, Ward Sakeik, jo Texas se hain, ne apni immigration detention ki dukhad kahani batai. Unki shaadi ek US citizen se hui hai. Ward, jo Saudi Arabia mein paida hui, lekin kisi bhi desh ki nagrik nahi hai, unhe Miami International Airport par February mein US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ne detain kar liya tha, jab woh apne honeymoon se laut rahi thi. Unhone 140 din custody mein bitaye, jahan unhone kaha ki unke saath bura vyavhaar kiya gaya, jaise unhe ‘cattle’ ki tarah treat kiya gaya.
Giraftari Aur Rihaai
Ward Sakeik ko 3 July ko immigration detention se riha kar diya gaya, chaar mahine se zyada confinement mein rehne ke baad. Giraftari se pehle, woh ICE ki requirements ko follow kar rahi thi, regularly check-in kar rahi thi, jaise ki unhe kaha gaya tha.
Rihaai Ke Baad Feelings
Apni rihaai ke baad, Ward ne mixed emotions express kiye, unhone kaha ki woh khush aur shocked feel kar rahi thi, khas kar unhone mention kiya ki yeh pehli baar tha jab unhone paanch mahino mein ek tree dekha.
Ward Ka Dard Bhara Bayaan
Ward Sakeik ne ek press conference mein kaha, “Maine apni life ke paanch mahine kho diye kyunki mujhe stateless hone ke liye criminalise kiya gaya, woh cheez jis par mera koi control nahi hai. Maine stateless hona nahi chuna. Maine koi crime nahi kiya jisne mujhe stateless bana diya. Mere paas koi choice nahi thi. Main sirf stateless thi.”
Unhone aage kaha, “Main 8 saal ki umar se United States ki ek law-abiding resident rahi hoon. Main college gai. Main DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) mein ek successful wedding photographer business chala rahi hoon, aur maine recently Taahir se shaadi ki.”
Sarkar Ka Deportation Ka Prayas
Unhone yeh bhi kaha ki US government ne unhe duniya ke ek aise hisse mein deport karne ki koshish ki jahan unhe apni destination ya situation ke baare mein nahi pata tha. Unhone kaha, “Mujhe 16 ghante tak bina kisi paani ya food ke bus mein handcuff kiya gaya. Mujhe cattle ki tarah move kiya gaya hai. Aur, US government ne mujhe duniya ke ek aise hisse mein dump karne ki koshish ki jahan mujhe nahi pata ki main kahan ja rahi hoon aur main kya kar rahi hoon ya kuch bhi.”
Detention Centre Mein Kya Hua?
Press conference ke dauraan, unhone apne experience ko bataya, aur describe kiya ki kaise unhe apni giraftari ke baad turant ek grey tracksuit aur shackles mein daal diya gaya. Ward Sakeik ne yeh bhi ilzaam lagaya ki unhe teen detention centres ke beech transfer kiya gaya, jahan unhone harsh conditions face kiye. Apne pehle transfer ke dauraan, unhone Ramadan ke liye fasting karte hue 16 ghante ek bus mein bitaye, bina kuch khaaye.
Unhone kaha, “Humein koi paani ya food nahi diya gaya, aur hum driver ko Chick-fil-A khaate hue smell kar sakte the. Hum paani maangte the, food ke liye door par bang karte the, aur woh sirf radio on kar deta tha aur aise act karta tha jaise woh humein nahi sun raha hai.”
Gandagi Aur Bimaari
Unhone intake room mein, ek toilet ke paas, dire circumstances ke karan apna fast toda. Prairieland detention centre mein, unhone report kiya ki dusty environment ke kaaran women detainees mein widespread illness fail rahi thi.
Unhone aage kaha, “Restrooms bhi bahut, bahut, bahut unhygienic hain. Beds par har jagah rust hai. Unhe properly maintain nahi kiya gaya hai. Aur cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, aap kuch bhi naam lein, sabhi facility mein hain. Girls ko bite karte the.”
Giraftari Ki Wajah
Ward Sakeik aur unke husband, US citizen Taahir Shaikh, ne apne honeymoon ke liye US Virgin Islands ko chuna tha, taaki unke green card application pending hone ke dauraan international travel complications se bacha ja sake. Haalaanki, unke return par, immigration authorities ne unhe detain kar liya.
Department of Homeland Security ne baad mein kaha ki unhone international waters par fly kiya tha aur Customs and Border Protection (CBP) ne unhe flag kiya tha jab woh continental US mein phir se enter karne ki koshish kar rahi thi. Haalaanki, US Virgin Islands ek US territory hai jahan travel ke liye passport ki zaroorat nahi hoti hai. US officials ne yeh bhi kaha ki unhone apne visa se zyada stay kiya tha aur unke paas saalo se ek removal order tha.
Woh Stateless Kyun Hain?
Ward Sakeik, jo Saudi Arabia mein Gaza ke ek family mein paida hui thi, woh Saudi Arabia ki foreigners ke bachchon ko citizenship nahi dene ki policy ke kaaran stateless hain. 8 saal ki umar mein, unki family ek tourist visa par US aayi aur baad mein asylum ke liye apply kiya, jo deny kar diya gaya tha.
Haalaanki unhe ek dashak se bhi pehle ek deportation order mila tha, Ward Sakeik ko ek “order of supervision” ke tahat US mein rehne ki permission di gayi thi. Is arrangement ne unhe regularly federal immigration authorities ke saath check-in karne aur unhe work authorisation di thi, unke lawyer aur husband ke according. Ward Sakeik high school aur University of Texas, Arlington se graduate hui, ek wedding photography business start kiya, aur Taahir Shaikh se shaadi ki. Unhone ek green card prapt karne ki process bhi start kar di thi.
Ward ne kaha ki woh ab ICE detention mein rehne waale logon ki taraf se advocate karna continue karna chahti hain.
Unhone kaha, “Main duniya ko yeh bhi batana chahti hoon ki jo women yahan aati hain woh ek better life ke liye aati hain, lekin unhe uske liye criminalise kiya jaata hai. Unhe dehumanise kiya jaata hai, aur unse unke rights chheen liye jaate hain. Humein sirf ek better life chaahne ke liye ek ‘less-than’ ki tarah treat kiya gaya hai.”
