Americans on Hold Documentary Film and Advocacy Project (2010)

Americans on Hold: Profiling, Prejudice, and National Security is a documentary film that exposes the U.S. government’s use of discriminatory profiling in the name of national security, and its impact on South Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim community members.

Through the personal stories of Zuhair Mahd and Anila Ali the film reveals the discriminatory profiling at the heart of both citizenship delays and border-crossing detentions and delays. Ali, a teacher, mother, and community organizer originally from Pakistan, received her American citizenship in 2002, but continues to experience humiliating and invasive treatment by Customs and Border Protection officials as a consequence of her national origin. Mahd, a blind adaptive technology specialist from Jordan, waged and won a five-year legal struggle against the Department of Homeland Security in his effort to become a U.S. citizen. In the process, he was repeatedly interrogated and pressured by the FBI to become an informant.”

The film also includes expert testimony from Cecillia Wang, Managing Attorney of the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project in San Francisco, Shirin Sinnar, Civil Rights Attorney and Fellow at Stanford Law School, and Prakash Khatri, former U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman, Department of Homeland Security (2003-2008).

The film was launched on April 28, 2010, at NYU School of Law, to a large and diverse audience of New Yorkers, including members of the affected communities, members of the NYU community, and activists. Zuhair Mahd joined in a post-screening discussion via skype. The launch concluded with a panel discussion about profiling in the name of national security. Moderated by Amna Akbar, CHRGJ Clinic Fellow, the panel included CHRGJ Faculty Director and Project Director Smita Narula; Sameer Ahmed, Skadden Fellow, Asian Ameriican Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF); and Monami Maulik, Executive Director, Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM).

For more information, or to arrange a screening of Americans on Hold: Profiling, Prejudice, and National Security in your community, please contact:
Amna Akbar, Clinic Fellow, International Human Rights Clinic, NYU School of Law: akbara@exchange.law.nyu.edu

Americans on Hold from CHRGJ on Vimeo.

American's on Hold in the News

Wang Fengfeng, "Interview: U.S. documentary highlights racial profiling amid Arizona immigration controversy", People Daily, April 29, 2010, available here

Wang Fengfeng, "Interview: U.S. documentary highlights racial profiling amid Arizona immigration controversy", Xinhua, April 29, 2010, available here

Interview featuring CHRGJ Faculty Director, Smita Narula, "New Documentary: Americans on Hold", Asia Pacific Forum, April 27, 2010, available here.

Interview featuring CHRGJ Faculty Director, Smita Narula, Wake Up Call, April 27, 2010, available here.

Smita Narula, "Stop Putting Americans on Hold", Huffington Post, April 27, 2010, available here.

"Difunden en EUA documental sobre discriminacion por apariencia", SDP Noticias, April 27, 2010, available here.

Bruce Finley, "Palestinian fully calls U.S. home", Denver Post, April 1, 2009, available here.

Bruce Finley, "Citizenship day arrives for persevering refugee" Denver Post, March 31, 2009, available here.

"Blind immigrant finally wins citizenship", Fox 31 KDVR.com, March 31, 2009.

Interview with Zuhair Mahd, immigration rights activist, "Americans on Hold: Racial Profiling in U.S. Naturalization", Asia Pacific Forum, March 31, 2009, available here.

Make a Donation

Americans on Hold is the centerpiece of an advocacy campaign targeted at educating lawmakers and advocates about the discriminatory impacts of post-9/11 immigration and national security policies.

We need your help to ensure wide distribution of Americans on Hold so that we can mobilize to end profiling. Every dollar counts and all donation amounts are welcome.

Donation Options:

• Online/electronic: You can donate online by clicking here, which will direct you to a secure web page housed by NYU School of Law’s Development Office, which handles all donations to the Center.
  Please note that you should specify “other” when asked to make a designation for the destination of your funds and then in the box provided, fill in 'CHRGJ Documentary', if you want your support to be attached to this particular area of focus
• By Check: Please make your contribution out to the “Center for Human Rights and Global Justice” (please include “documentary project” in the memo line). Checks can be sent to:
  Jeannie Forrest
  New York University School of Law
  Office of Development and Alumni Relations
  161 Avenue of the Americas, 5th Floor
  New York, NY 10013

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE.