We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant Communities After 9/11

by Tram Nguyen, Edwidge Danticat (Foreword)

In an ironic reversal of the American dream, a staggering 20,000 members of the immigrant community of Midwood, Brooklyn (known as Little Pakistan), voluntarily left the United States after 9/11. Tram Nguyen reveals the human cost of the domestic war on terror and examines the impact of post-9/11 policies on people targeted because of immigration status, nationality, and religion. Nguyen’s evocative narrative reporting--about the families, detainees, local leaders, community advocates, and others living on the front lines--tells the stories of people who witnessed and experienced firsthand the unjust detainment or deportation of family members, friends, and neighbors. We meet Mohammad Butt, who died in detention in New Jersey, and the Saleems, who flee Queens for Canada. We even follow a self-proclaimed ’citizen patroller’ who monitors and detains immigrants on the U.S.-Mexico border.

We Are All Suspects Now, in the words of Mike Davis, “takes us inside a dark world . . . where the American Dream is fast turning into a nightmare and suggests proactive responses to stop our growing climate of xenophobia, intimidation, and discrimination."

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Politics, Theory, Immigration

212 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2005

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Out of tragedy, the worst thing you can lose is humanity." - Mayron Payes
Tram Nguyen, one of the top real journalists in the country among the ranks of Amy Goodman and Greg Palast, outlines in the most factual and non-sensationalistic manner the abuses and discrimination targeted at immigrants after 9/11. It is astounding how far individuals and entire countries will go to avoid grief and confrontation with the real problems at hand (which, of course, are not immigrants). This book is easy to read and provides an excellent account of the policies towards immigrants put into place under the guise of "national security", "homeland security", and "counterterrorism" after 9/11. Those very terms are problematic, as Nguyen points out: Whose security? Who is the nation composed of precisely? Where is home exactly, therefore where is this "homeland"? Whose home???? What does it mean to have real security?
"Real security...is tied to human rights -- political, social, economic, and cultural -- for all peoples." This is the definition formulated by a group of South Asian NGOs who have seen the effects of "national security laws which [have] catastrophically destroyed the fabric of democracy" in their own countries. Reread that definition of real security again. The words are crystal clear and unambiguous -- "all peoples." When we start dividing and drawing lines, saying "you stay, you go, you're American, you're not," then we are doomed. Humanity is bigger than the nations that divide it.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this for school but I would read it again.
Very heartwrenching, inspirational and all around something that anyone can feel passionate about.
I think it is amazing that things can go on like the detention centers described in the book, because from past experiences with things like the concentration camps during WWII and the camps for the Japanese Americans. This book was cathartic and very hard to forget.

[Nichole Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I had to read this book for my American Studies class about The United States since September 11.

This was a really well put together book. I really liked the different perspectives that are shown that all tie into how 9/11 drastically changed the lives of both immigrants and POC in the US. Many of the families that were targeted were just seeking asylum and refugee, searching for the American Dream. This book really showcased that that American Dream was not their reality.

This was a quick read and it really opened my eyes to just how bad the racial profiling was/is post 9/11 in this country. But it also gave me perspective on just how many people are either trying to get into the US or trying to stay due to horrible circumstances in their home countries.

[Karolína · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best non-fiction books I have read this year so far. I would say a must read for anyone even slightly curious about human right. The so called "America dream" is not so dreamy, if you are a non-white, immigrant and Muslim. I feel heartbroken for all the families affected. Even though I am trying to understand where the US was coming from after 9/11 with all these policies, the impact is unacceptable and what worst, not even targeting the people that should be targeted!!! Broken families, lost dreams and lost lives of ordinary people....the result of these so-called anti-terorrism policies.....

[Erdoan A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book of immigrants in the US, post 9/11, events that have affected them despite of different religions, faiths, races, professions, etc. Profiling mostly target Arabs and Muslims, or Arab looking people with Muslim sounding names, but other immigrants from Africa, Latin America, Asia (China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea) were also affected. Nguyen, a Vietnami researcher, compiled some interesting stories here.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a sociology class. It has some sad first hand accounts of the problems of profiling and the absurd reaction to 9/11 and it's affect on people perceived as muslims and therefore possible terrorists. Definitely worth a read.

[Neelanjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great book by Nguyen -- the editor of Colorlines -- about the post-9.11 nastiness. I love how it cuts across the different immigrant communities.

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untold stories from immigrant communities in the US following 9/11. The focus of this book is the racial impact of post-9/11 policies on immigrants and communities of color. An excellent book.

[Genevieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary, heart-wrenching, and important.

[Vendula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect much but this book is amazing.

[alana mcgrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

i was going to give this book 3 stars but the conclusion was so good it gets 4. this book was published in 2005, so it's dated when it comes to things like osama bin laden was caught, but it's really thought provoking to think about how accurate some of the predictions about immigration policy in the future are. i could also really tell that this book was written by an editor vs. someone who has a PHD in a topic. overall, i thought the personal stories as well as the legislature included in the book made it really compelling, and this book will stick with me.

[Carla Villar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good reminder of how 9/11 was used to justify discrimination against certain immigrant communities. There is also a chapter on how U.S. immigration impacted Canadian immigration as well.

[Mary]

Civ A a I