In light of the escalating violence and terror, a Patriot Act forum was held at UIC on February 10, 2004. Post 9/11 has had everlasting effects on the lives of people worldwide. In particular, communities in the United States now face oppression in the worst form, by their own government.
“To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.” This is the first line of the Patriot Act, which came into law on October 24, 2001. By means of invasion and doubt on its own citizens the United States is enforcing this law everyday as we speak. However the reality of this extreme and unconstitutionally flawed law did not hit home for a handful of UIC students until they attended the Patriot Act forum, which was hosted by a the South Asian Progressive Collective, Campus Anti-War, the Office of the Student Trustee, UIC Radio, the Int’l Socialist Club, and the Muslim Advocacy Network.
Aleena Sheik, a UIC student, and Nicholas Rashod, an activist from the South Asian Leader of Tomorrow (SAALT), attended this forum to educate students about the Patriot Act through their experiences. Sheik, a Muslim-American woman, faced intense obstacles when her husband was thrown in jail in February 2003 upon special registration at the U.S. Department of Inland Security. He suffered accusation and insults for two days by jail guards. A fine of $7,500 was posted on Shiek’s husband. Despite this, it took a year for Sheik’s husband’s deportation case to be cleared. Sheik, in the meantime, did not sit around and wait she took action immediately by going to the Illinois Immigration Coalition. They help her fight the legislation that violated the fundamental human rights of her husband. By going to the Immigration Court case, in five months Sheik changed the fate of her husband. Now, Sheik stands up for her civil rights and those of others. She hopes that her husband’s story is voice of reality for others. U.S Congressperson Judy Vigor and Chicago Public Radio also aided Sheik in her statement of righteousness.
