Colorado Muslims Support Libyan Students
There are about 2,000 Libyan international students living in the United States. Most of the students are highly educated, pursuing masters and doctorate programs. Colorado is home to approximately 450 Libyan students, many of whom have families, making Colorado the largest Libyan international student population in the country. Most of the Libyan students within Colorado are economically sustained by Libyan governmental scholarships and stipends. Generally, the students’ tuition payments are paid through an intermediary to the universities and colleges at the beginning of the semester and living expenses arrive in monthly installments.
As many may recall, in the middle of February 2011, a civil war erupted in Libya. Military forces remaining loyal to Moammar Gaddafi, Libya’s 41-year ruler, engaged in violent armed conflicts with some of the country’s population looking to oust Gaddafi. In response to perceived human rights violations occurring in Libya by Gaddafi’s regime --- which included possible indiscriminate shooting and killing of political protesters --- President Barack Obama signed an executive order freezing all Libyan assets. The United Nations and the European Union quickly passed similar resolutions. After the United States froze all Libyan assets, money earmarked for the Libyan international students became seized and unavailable. Thereafter, Colorado quickly became recognized nationally as ground zero as what was correctly described as the Libyan international student crisis.
In the middle of March 2011, large scale foreign military intervention occurred within Libya, predominately led by the United States. Ostensibly, the United States intervened militarily to prevent a humanitarian crisis. In response to the United States’ military actions, many of Colorado’s Libyan students engaged in perhaps the most fundamental of all American conduct: exercise of peaceful First Amendment political protest. Specifically, many students organized and participated in local anti-Gaddafi rallies and marches. However, Colorado’s Libyan student population is large and complex, and not homogeneous in its political beliefs. It is presumed that some students who were pro-Gaddafi video recorded the anti-Gaddafi students. Identifying information of some of the anti- Gaddafi students was quickly disseminated back to Libya, including the posting of videos on Youtube. Many Libyan students reported extensive FBI interviews. Demonstrating remarkably fast decision-making and responsiveness, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury permitted appropriate licensure to allow Libyan students to receive their tuition and stipend funding in April 2011. However, a greater issue soon arose as compared to the United States seizing Libyan assets. The Libyan government stopped funding its Libyan international students.
Soon thereafter, a small group of Libyan students alerted the Colorado Muslim Society’s leadership to the impending issue that more than 450 Libyan students and their families, most if not all Muslims, would have no source of income come July 1, 2011. The Libyan students quickly internally organized, and student leaders emerged. In April 2011, I met with approximately 100 Libyan students in an effort to understand the scope of the issues confronting the Libyan student community. Khaled Hamideh and Khalid Mahmoud, both elected members of Colorado Muslim Society’s shurah committee, personally acted as my Arabic translators, working late into the night, so I could appropriately interview many Libyan students.
A part of the obvious issues with having little to no money, the entire Libyan student population in Colorado and nationally, faced severe immigration consequences. Each Libyan international student would become almost immediately deportable if they missed their tuition payments for either the summer or fall school semesters. To compound the problem, many of the anti-Gaddafi student protesters recorded on video were either directly receiving death threats, or were being warned by their families not to return to Libya under any circumstances due to threat of severe criminal prosecution and possibly death. It quickly became apparent that much assistance would be needed to appropriately address the issues of the Libyan students. Many of the Libyan students would need individualized counseling on their potential applications for political asylum.
I reached out to the Colorado chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a group of lawyers that have substantial experience with and knowledge regarding immigration laws. Approximately 25 volunteer immigration lawyers immediately launched into action to assist Colorado’s Libyan student community. The AILA attorneys conducted free group presentations at almost every campus in Colorado, coordinating their efforts through the students’ foreign student advisers. The presentations focused on immigration law education, employment options, and asylum. Additionally, the AILA attorneys offered free individual consultations, and some attorneys astoundingly committed to free representation. The AILA attorneys started to politically campaign Colorado’s local, state, and federal government representatives, as well as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The AILA attorneys advocated for Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action, Administrative Closure and/or modification of the Libyan’s F-1 visa status to allow them enhanced ability to work.
Perhaps as a direct consequence of the efforts provided by the Colorado Muslim community and AILA attorneys, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced special relief for certain F-1 Libyan students, suspending certain regulatory requirements allowing eligible Libyan F-1 students to obtain employment authorization, work an increased number of hours during the school term, and, if necessary, reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 student status. This was a major accomplishment, and one that greatly benefited the Colorado’s Libyan students.
Due to recent efforts of government officials in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, as well as the United Nations Security Council, the Libyan Ministry of Education and Scientific Research transferred funding through the Libyan Central Bank for the purposes of financing the Libyan-North American Scholarship Program. This funding covers the Libyan students’ tuition and living allowances through May 2012. Colorado’s Muslim community should be proud of its immediate responsiveness and community organizing abilities as it effectively assisted Colorado’s Libyan international students in their severe time of need. Insha’Allah, the Libyan students’ crisis will end positively for all involved.
Qusair Mohamedbhai is a Muslim Colorado attorney, practicing civil rights law and employment discrimination. He is general counsel to the Colorado Muslim Society. He can be reached at (303) 571-1000 or qmohamedbhai@kln-law.com.
For questions or clarifications please email: editor@frmnews.net
As many may recall, in the middle of February 2011, a civil war erupted in Libya. Military forces remaining loyal to Moammar Gaddafi, Libya’s 41-year ruler, engaged in violent armed conflicts with some of the country’s population looking to oust Gaddafi. In response to perceived human rights violations occurring in Libya by Gaddafi’s regime --- which included possible indiscriminate shooting and killing of political protesters --- President Barack Obama signed an executive order freezing all Libyan assets. The United Nations and the European Union quickly passed similar resolutions. After the United States froze all Libyan assets, money earmarked for the Libyan international students became seized and unavailable. Thereafter, Colorado quickly became recognized nationally as ground zero as what was correctly described as the Libyan international student crisis.
In the middle of March 2011, large scale foreign military intervention occurred within Libya, predominately led by the United States. Ostensibly, the United States intervened militarily to prevent a humanitarian crisis. In response to the United States’ military actions, many of Colorado’s Libyan students engaged in perhaps the most fundamental of all American conduct: exercise of peaceful First Amendment political protest. Specifically, many students organized and participated in local anti-Gaddafi rallies and marches. However, Colorado’s Libyan student population is large and complex, and not homogeneous in its political beliefs. It is presumed that some students who were pro-Gaddafi video recorded the anti-Gaddafi students. Identifying information of some of the anti- Gaddafi students was quickly disseminated back to Libya, including the posting of videos on Youtube. Many Libyan students reported extensive FBI interviews. Demonstrating remarkably fast decision-making and responsiveness, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the United States Department of the Treasury permitted appropriate licensure to allow Libyan students to receive their tuition and stipend funding in April 2011. However, a greater issue soon arose as compared to the United States seizing Libyan assets. The Libyan government stopped funding its Libyan international students.
Soon thereafter, a small group of Libyan students alerted the Colorado Muslim Society’s leadership to the impending issue that more than 450 Libyan students and their families, most if not all Muslims, would have no source of income come July 1, 2011. The Libyan students quickly internally organized, and student leaders emerged. In April 2011, I met with approximately 100 Libyan students in an effort to understand the scope of the issues confronting the Libyan student community. Khaled Hamideh and Khalid Mahmoud, both elected members of Colorado Muslim Society’s shurah committee, personally acted as my Arabic translators, working late into the night, so I could appropriately interview many Libyan students.
A part of the obvious issues with having little to no money, the entire Libyan student population in Colorado and nationally, faced severe immigration consequences. Each Libyan international student would become almost immediately deportable if they missed their tuition payments for either the summer or fall school semesters. To compound the problem, many of the anti-Gaddafi student protesters recorded on video were either directly receiving death threats, or were being warned by their families not to return to Libya under any circumstances due to threat of severe criminal prosecution and possibly death. It quickly became apparent that much assistance would be needed to appropriately address the issues of the Libyan students. Many of the Libyan students would need individualized counseling on their potential applications for political asylum.
I reached out to the Colorado chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), a group of lawyers that have substantial experience with and knowledge regarding immigration laws. Approximately 25 volunteer immigration lawyers immediately launched into action to assist Colorado’s Libyan student community. The AILA attorneys conducted free group presentations at almost every campus in Colorado, coordinating their efforts through the students’ foreign student advisers. The presentations focused on immigration law education, employment options, and asylum. Additionally, the AILA attorneys offered free individual consultations, and some attorneys astoundingly committed to free representation. The AILA attorneys started to politically campaign Colorado’s local, state, and federal government representatives, as well as the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The AILA attorneys advocated for Temporary Protected Status, Deferred Action, Administrative Closure and/or modification of the Libyan’s F-1 visa status to allow them enhanced ability to work.
Perhaps as a direct consequence of the efforts provided by the Colorado Muslim community and AILA attorneys, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced special relief for certain F-1 Libyan students, suspending certain regulatory requirements allowing eligible Libyan F-1 students to obtain employment authorization, work an increased number of hours during the school term, and, if necessary, reduce their course load while continuing to maintain their F-1 student status. This was a major accomplishment, and one that greatly benefited the Colorado’s Libyan students.
Due to recent efforts of government officials in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, as well as the United Nations Security Council, the Libyan Ministry of Education and Scientific Research transferred funding through the Libyan Central Bank for the purposes of financing the Libyan-North American Scholarship Program. This funding covers the Libyan students’ tuition and living allowances through May 2012. Colorado’s Muslim community should be proud of its immediate responsiveness and community organizing abilities as it effectively assisted Colorado’s Libyan international students in their severe time of need. Insha’Allah, the Libyan students’ crisis will end positively for all involved.
Qusair Mohamedbhai is a Muslim Colorado attorney, practicing civil rights law and employment discrimination. He is general counsel to the Colorado Muslim Society. He can be reached at (303) 571-1000 or qmohamedbhai@kln-law.com.
For questions or clarifications please email: editor@frmnews.net
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