Dear All,
There were 2 storms in the South yesterday and lots and lots of rain, thunder etc.. Out of precaution, there were lockdowns and we were told to take shelter under the bed if the need be. At night, the sky became pitch dark and was only lit up by a lot of lightning bolts. Thank God, all went well, and the sky could not have been any bluer this AM. The old adage of “This too, shall pass”, again proven to be right.
Life consists of so many events, so many openings and so many closings. Every night, before I go to sleep, I pray, contemplate about my day and set my goals for the near and distant future. As Muslims, we always include the phrase “Insh ALLAH (God Willing)”, for anything in our lives that we intend to do. Life also requires from us to open chapters of our book of life and to close them when the time is there. Friendships forged in prison can be long-lasting or short, it all depends how relationships develop. Some people you meet in this environment can leave a lasting impression on you and some cannot. I was fortunate enough to meet some people who have left an imprint on my soul and memories will be cherished forever.
I was contacted by a family member of a lady that was facing deportation to her home country. She had a very difficult time here in prison, although she had a very short sentence. After serving her full term in prison, she was detained at an ICE facility where she had to fight her deportation. She won her case after much litigation which lasted 4 months. It cannot have been easy for her, but she persevered and endured. This chapter of her ordeal is hopefully closed and will allow new beginnings and hopefully exciting things to happen for her. Wishing her the best and encouraging her to spread her wings and fly, is all I can do from her AND say a silent prayer for God to Watch over her and her loved ones.
Point of criticism however is, that non-US citizens have to do more prison/detention time than their US counterparts, in this case resulting in her doing 150% of her 8-month sentence! Just looking at the facts, this does not make any sense and is a major injustice and discrimination towards non-US felons.
Sherida Nabi
