2008 Woodie Awards
Habeas corpus suspension may affect international students
Online Exclusive
By: Breanna Herschelman
Issue date: 10/26/06 Section: News
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When the United States Constitution was written, it stated that a prisoner has the right to challenge his or her detention. This right is called habeas corpus, or literally "have the body." President Bush signed into law the Military Commissions Act, which suspended the writ of habeas corpus last week.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales justified the suspension as protecting the rights of American citizens and accused terrorists. The new suspension does not apply to terrorists who are United States citizens.
Bert Barry, director of English as a second language and international services, said anytime the U.S. government targets non-citizens he gets offended. Barry helps protect the hundreds of international students at Webster from human rights violations.
Barry said the government can ask for more information on international students than United States students.
"(The government) has the right to demand all sorts of information from international students that they don't of U.S. students," Barry said. "I find this offensive, though it's been around for decades."
Barry also said the government can ask for information from any international student at any time to check for suspicious activity. Barry said he has had requests from the government for information on students and classes. Barry said Webster does not have as many requests as other schools because the majors offered do not pose as much of a threat to national security.
Barry said the government looks more at students who major in areas of science, such as biological science of engineering. He said Webster's most alarming major would probably be computer science.
Barry said, though he knows of no international students who have ever been detained by the government while studying at Webster, Bush's change in habeas corpus would allow the government to detain a student before contacting the school. He said a student could be put in detention or deported without Webster's knowledge.
U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales justified the suspension as protecting the rights of American citizens and accused terrorists. The new suspension does not apply to terrorists who are United States citizens.
Bert Barry, director of English as a second language and international services, said anytime the U.S. government targets non-citizens he gets offended. Barry helps protect the hundreds of international students at Webster from human rights violations.
Barry said the government can ask for more information on international students than United States students.
"(The government) has the right to demand all sorts of information from international students that they don't of U.S. students," Barry said. "I find this offensive, though it's been around for decades."
Barry also said the government can ask for information from any international student at any time to check for suspicious activity. Barry said he has had requests from the government for information on students and classes. Barry said Webster does not have as many requests as other schools because the majors offered do not pose as much of a threat to national security.
Barry said the government looks more at students who major in areas of science, such as biological science of engineering. He said Webster's most alarming major would probably be computer science.
Barry said, though he knows of no international students who have ever been detained by the government while studying at Webster, Bush's change in habeas corpus would allow the government to detain a student before contacting the school. He said a student could be put in detention or deported without Webster's knowledge.
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