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The ACLU of Southern California, working attorneys from the National Lawyers Guild and the Center for Constitutional Rights, helped secure a victory in one of the nation's longest running and controversial deportation cases when federal immigration officials dismissed all charges against Khader Hamide and Michel Shehadeh, two members of the '''LA 8' prosecuted for over 20 years for their political beliefs.

This case, which tested whether immigrants have the same First Amendment rights as citizens, began in 1987, when a group of seven Palestinian men and one woman from Kenya were accused of having ties to a faction of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Members participated in activities such as distributing newspapers, protesting in demonstrations and organizing humanitarian aid fundraisers for Palestinians in the Middle East. Though these are activities protected by the First Amendment, the government decided they were grounds for deportation. Using a Cold War-era law, the government launched a relentless deportation campaign against the group, who became known as the '''LA 8'.

'''My family and I feel a tremendous amount of relief today,' said Hamide. '''After 20 years, the nightmare is finally over. I feel vindicated at long last. This is a victory not only for us, but for the First Amendment of the Constitution and for the rights of all immigrants.'

A 26-year-old Army specialist stationed with the 58th Combat Engineer Company in Ft. Irwin is fighting to be released from the Army as a conscientious objector rather than be involuntarily deployed to Iraq.

Calvin Lee, a devout Buddhist-Taoist, joined the Army in 2004 after a zealous recruiter approached him at a civilian job fair in South San Francisco. Though he had learned English from brief stays in America and in school in Southeast Asia, he was unfamiliar with the tactics of military recruiters. When the recruiter told him his job would be repairing trucks and that he would never have to leave Ft. Irwin or go to war, Lee believed him and signed the three year contract.

While serving, Lee eventually realized the depth of the recruiter's deception. Unaware of his rights, he continued working, turning down promotions in rank and pay as he felt his faith would require. Months before he was to be released from the Army, Lee was informed that his service contract was being involuntarily extended under the military's 'stop loss' policy and that his unit would be deployed to Iraq. Lee then applied for conscientious objector status.

A 26-year-old Army specialist stationed with the 58th Combat Engineer Company in Ft. Irwin is fighting to be released from the Army as a conscientious objector rather than be involuntarily deployed to Iraq.
Calvin Lee, a devout Buddhist-Taoist, joined the Army in 2004 after a zealous recruiter approached him at a civilian job fair in South San Francisco. Though he had learned English from brief stays in America and in school in Southeast Asia, he was unfamiliar with the tactics of military recruiters. When the recruiter told him his job would be repairing trucks and that he would never have to leave Ft. Irwin or go to war, Lee believed him and signed the three year contract.
While serving, Lee eventually realized the depth of the recruiter's deception. Unaware of his rights, he continued working, turning down promotions in rank and pay as he felt his faith would require. Months before he was to be released from the Army, Lee was informed that his service contract was being involuntarily extended under the military's '''stop loss' policy and that his unit would be deployed to Iraq. Lee then applied for conscientious objector status.