Waubonsee Community College

Whose children are these?, by Theresa Thanjan

eng

videorecording

For College; Adult audiences

Whose children are these?

electronic resource

747799457

by Theresa Thanjan

27

This film examines the harrowing experiences of three Muslim-American teenagers affected by Special Registration, a post-9/11 security measure. Initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice, the measure required male non-citizens from twenty-five predominately Muslim nations to register with the government. Although none were charged with a terrorist-related crime, nearly 14,000 Muslim men were put into deportation proceedings after 83,000 registered.The hardship imposed by this ruling, denounced by the American Civil Liberties Union, can be seen on the lives of the three teenagers profiled. Mohammad, 18, was born in Pakistan, but has lived in the U.S. since the age of seven. A typical American teenager, he faced the possibility of being sent back to a country he scarcely knew. Fortunately, his congressman intervened at the last minute and he was granted permission to stay. Navila,19, from Bangladesh, carries on a futile struggle to save her father who was deported back to the very country from which he had fled. Sixteen-year-old Hagar Youssef, who has dealt with slurs and prejudice because she wears a headscarf, has mobilized groups to combat bias crimes in New York City. She discusses her experiences as well as the ramifications faced by immigrant communities of the Special Registration program

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