By Hosni Emam, KUNA,
London : Arabs, Muslims and people of Middle Eastern descent who live in America have integrated and assimilated and achieved a standard of living far above other immigrant groups, a senior US official said here Friday.
George Selim, policy advisor at the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties at the Department of Homeland Security, told KUNA in an exclusive interview that the department was broadly created to coordinate a security mission after the terrorist attacks of 9/11.
The department is satisfied with what has been achieved so far because the level of integration and cooperation from these groups is so high, he said.
“I see it personally and professionally that these groups in the US have been more assimilated than in other countries, especially some European countries,” Selim, who was speaking at the US Embassy in central London, noted.
He is here to attend a major conference at the University of London on the integration of immigrants and minorities in European countries and the US.
In answer to a question, Selim said that the need for security in his country was so high “and I hope we will live in a world one day when there is no need for security, but there will always be a need for security.” The Homeland Security Department’s specific job is to coordinate and ensure federal security “and our job is to coordinate who comes into the country and protect America from the inside domestically,” the advisor went on.
“Unless you can foresee a time when we would not need security … that goes beyond nationalities, race and religion,” he added.
On the impact of the war on terror on US security, Selim said that the US had been fortunate since September 11 as the country had not had another large-scale attack since that time.
“Since the creation of the Homeland Security we have managed to curb this threat, although there have been several groups and plots that have been disrupted by US officials in this new coordinated security environment,” Selim recalled.
“So, regardless of what is happening in Iraq or Afghanistan, or any other country, the coordination of security after the creation of the Homeland Security Department has led to increased security,” the US official pointed out.
On the cases of maltreatment of Arabs and Muslims at the US borders, the advisor said bad treatment was unacceptable.
“Bad treatment at the borders is unacceptable and there are ways to file complaints, and there is always an opportunity with a manager or senior official at the airport if poor treatment has occurred.
“If someone wants to go to the press and they have been treated badly but they never complained or asked to see a manager, we would inform them that there are ways to complain and have their voice heard, and on top of that we are taking steps to ensure there is no bad treatment,” Selim emphasized.
In addition, the department has created training programmes and instituted new guidelines and is actively working harder so that when people come from any country the environment is more welcoming, he continued.
Selim insisted that bad treatment should not happen at the US borders, “and there is always redress available to anybody who has experienced problems at the airports when they are coming into the US or going out of the US.” He urged “anyone who has a complaint to contact his office and when people are coming to the US from any country security is our requirement and our mandate, and is paramount to us.” The official argued that sometimes when people were coming into the US there were countries and travel patterns of people that received increased security.
“For example, if someone is coming to the US from the UK that person would have a different profile from someone who travelled to Wazirstan, Pakistan and Bangladesh and Somalia and then coming into the US, that person needs to be considered in a different way for security purposes, but this is not based on religion, country of origin, or skin colour,” Selim concluded.
There are an estimated seven million Muslims living in the US, about a third of whom are African-American converts.