WASHINGTON-- The India Abroad Center for Political Awareness (IACPA) announced today that Congressman Bob Underwood (D-GU) took action on the recent INS raid in which 40 Indian software programmers were arrested in San Antonio, TX. Underwood wrote a letter to Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) Commissioner Doris Meissner regarding the violations of the programmers' civil rights.

Congressman Underwood stated in his letter, "Although I understand the charges … were dropped… I am concerned about the potential violation of the their (programmers) civil rights." Underwood's letter contained information provided by IACPA.

Prem Shunmugavelu, IACPA Associate, was pleased with the letter that the Congressman wrote. "As the Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus, I am glad Congressman Underwood took the initiative to address the concerns of the Indian-American community and IACPA." "This is an issue that IACPA has been very involved with, and we are hopeful that the INS Commissioner will look into these concerns thoroughly and efficiently."

On January 20, 2000, the INS conducted a raid at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX and arrested and detained 40 software engineers who were in the U.S. on H-1B visas. The programmers were apparently not at a location listed on their visa, due to a fault of their employer, and many, even those holding green cards, were arrested and detained.

Shunmugavelu added, "Although these programmers were eventually released, I am disappointed by the fact that the INS has yet to apologize for their behavior." "Others in the federal government have even made public apologies.", he added Shunmugavelu was referring to Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Karl Inderfurth, who expressed his "deep regret" to Indian Ambassador Naresh Chandra, for the way the Indian programmers were handled by the INS.