ADC President Ziad Asali has written to Attorney General John Ashcroft urging him to terminate efforts to deport members of the “LA8,” a group of immigrants originally arrested in 1987 for their alleged political beliefs and activities. Dr. Asali wrote, “This case is notorious in the Arab community, because from the outset the government admitted that none of the individuals had committed any criminal, much less terrorist, activity, yet they have been targeted for more than sixteen years for their alleged political associations.” Dr. Asali powerfully argued that an “amicable resolution of these cases would not require the government to allow anyone to remain here illegally, would reassure the civil rights and immigrant communities that the government will not target people for their political activities, would avoid the embarrassment of enforcing a long-repealed and unconstitutional immigration law, and most importantly, would do justice to individuals and families who have been in legal limbo for sixteen years.” The full text of Dr. Asali’s letter to Attorney General Ashcroft on behalf of the “LA8” can be read in PDF format online at ADC.org.