US immigration lawsuit for South African discrimination

December 10 2008 by Gareth McConnell

US federal courts have been ordered to review the case of a Muslim scholar denied a visa for USA on the grounds he had engaged in terrorist activities.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has brought the case on behalf of organisations who invited Adam Habib, a ‘scholar and sought-after political analyst’ and South African citizen.

"The plaintiff organizations claim that denial of Habib's visa application infringed their rights under the First Amendment to the US Constitution to have Habib come to America to speak," Judge George O'Toole of the Massachusetts district court said in his decision.

"Today's decision is a major victory for judicial review and a significant blow to the administration's failed attempt at stifling debate by banning a prominent critic of US policy," said Melissa Goodman, an attorney with the ACLU National Security Project who argued the case in court.

The ACLU describes Habib as “a Muslim who has been a vocal critic of the war in Iraq and some US terrorism-related policies."

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