Immigration Testimony

January 29, 2008

I went to an immigration hearing this week on the behalf of a Greek CO.  It was interesting as I had never spent any time at immigration even before it became part of Homeland Security. 

As I expected, the case before the one for which I was testifying resulted in tears of the woman who was sitting the audience.  If you have been to courthouses as much as I have over the years there is almost always a story sad enough to cause tears from someone.  Immigration is no exception.

I was asked about the rights of COs in Greece.  They are very limited.  The reality is that even if Greece followed its own regulations (which it rarely does, apparently) only a pacifist could claim CO status—you cannot have ever hunted or owned a gun for any reason.  To top it off, only Seventh Day Adventists succeed in being recognized.  Everyone else goes to jail.  Repeatedly.

So it was a reminder of how far the United States has come is protecting the rights of COs. 

But a trip back to the office and a call from a CO in Iraq was a reminder of how far we have yet to go.