Deporting Yale's Taliban Man

By Christopher Flickinger
Human Events
Posted Mar 15, 2006

Human Events U has learned a United States Senator is seeking an investigation as to how a former Taliban spokesman entered the country, and ultimately Yale University, under current terrorism laws.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) wants to know whether or not Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi, was properly admitted into the country and if the Department of Homeland Security will seek to deport the Yale freshman under a recent law passed by Congress.

On Tuesday, Senator Cornyn wrote a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, saying that under current law any alien who is a representative of a terrorist organization may not be admitted into the country or may be removed on terror-related grounds. Moreover, an alien is inadmissible or removable if he/she endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others of terrorist activity or to support a terrorist organization.

"Mr. Hashemi was an official spokesman for the Taliban, which gave safe haven and other material support to Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, and continued to do so even after the terrorist attacks of September 11th. Yet the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) admitted him into the United States on an F-1 student visa. I would like to know what steps the Department of Homeland Security is taking to determine whether Mr. Hashemi was properly admitted and whether the Department of Homeland Security will seek to deport Mr. Hashemi under one of the terror-related grounds of removal."