Activists protest restrictions and spying on 
foreign students

October 2 -- About one hundred people protested 
the proposed legislation against foreign students 
outside of Senator Diane Feinstein's office in 
downtown San Francisco. MIM and RAIL activists 
attended to support the protest and hand out 
flyers with our analysis of this legislation. 
Organized by the Berkeley Stop the War Coalition, 
the action gathered tremendous media attention 
with cameras and reporters from CNN, USA Today, 
the local news stations, student newspapers and 
even some foreign magazines. Media interest in the 
fallout from the September 11 attacks remains 
strong and the few actions opposing the u.s. war 
effort and attacks on civil liberties do get some 
coverage. MIM has not yet seen what the press 
chose to run on this story but judging from the 
mainstream media coverage of other protests it is 
likely unfavorable. The mainstream media can not 
be counted on to report on the people's struggles, 
this is why alternative press is so important. In 
fact, since the attacks on September 11 most of 
the mainstream media has tightened their 
allegiance with the government, acting as 
spokespeople for the white house and pentagon.

Many speakers at the rally addressed the value of 
international students, who provide Amerikans with 
contact with foreign cultures and ways of 
thinking. A speaker from Global Exchange pointed 
out that hate crimes against people of different 
nationalities will only increase if this avenue 
for learning about different groups of people is 
cut off. She also made clear that this is just one 
piece of legislation that is part of a larger move 
in congress to cut off rights to immigrants in 
this country. Of course, as many signs at the 
rally proclaimed, "we are all immigrants", but 
those who have been here longer and particularly 
those with white skin, have seized the power to 
declare themselves legal and all outsiders 
illegal. Global Exchange was circulating letters 
to Senator Feinstein for people to sign protesting 
the new legislation restricting foreign student 
visas for six months.

A speaker from the Asian Law Caucus pointed out 
that international students account for only 2% of 
the country's visitors. She also correctly noted 
that "the INS already has way too much power." 
This bill would give the INS power to fingerprint 
and photographs every student crossing u.s. 
borders. And it calls for $32.3 million to set up 
a system to track these students.

A National Lawyers Guild speaker addressed the 
importance of people knowing their rights in this 
time of increased repression and surveillance. No 
one has to talk to the FBI if they call or knock 
on your door, something that is happening to many 
activists, particular Arab activists. 

The NLG representative was one of only a few 
speakers who pointed out that it is U$ foreign 
policy that has created this war in the U.$. and 
around the world. The other clear international 
connection was made by a freelance reporter 
recently back from Palestine. She pointed out that 
Diane Feinstein and other Senators and 
Representatives are responsible for repression 
around the globe daily and this foreign student 
visa bill is just one more such measure: "10 
million dollars a day goes to Israel to subjugate 
the indigenous populationwe must work to stop the 
ongoing war that is being made in our namein 
Palestine and Iraq" and elsewhere around the 
world. These international connections are key to 
activists opposed to the current u.s. war effort. 
MIM has been saying for years that World War III 
is already on, being waged in the Third World by 
u.s. troops and armies funded by the u.s. These 
attacks on the u.s. are a response to the 
imperialist, murderous u.s. foreign policy and the 
only way we will achieve world peace is by ending 
imperialist aggression.

In response to the protest, a representative of 
Diane Feinstein made a brief statement at the 
rally which appeared to be addressed to the media 
more than to the protesters. She said something 
diplomatic sounding about having met with 
constituents and collecting protest letters to 
give the input back to Senator Feinstein.

It should now be clear that there is no difference 
between the democrats and republicans in congress, 
they all beat loudly on the war drum while 
supporting attacks on civil liberties at home. 
Protests like this one are a crucial part of this 
battle against anti-immigrant legislation and 
attacks on foreign nationals within u.s. borders. 
We call on activists to take up this battle across 
the country: it is not only Senator Feinstein but 
all of the u.s. government that is behind the 
increasingly repressive legislation.