It all started when I accompanied my two child daughters on 17 May 2006, to apply for a U.S. entry visa from U.S. Consulate in Dubai. I was invited to attend an international gathering held on 4-6 Aug in hytt rgency Santa Clara hotel and as far as the papers and documents including an official and acceptable invitation were valid, the three of us were granted a U.S. entry visa in ten days.

Getting prepared ourselves for a delightful trip to the States, I arranged our tickets for 1st Aug 2006 from Tehran to San Francisco via Amsterdam. My children had already traveled to a few European and Asian countries, but traveling to U.S., the so-called New World, as the land of dreams, symbol of freedom and liberty, civilization and most of all, the heaven of children, was totally different, where, to my children it was incomparable with the other countries.

Attending an international gathering of prominent professionals was an excellent opportunity to visit the greatest and the most modern country in the world as well as associating, once again, with the old friends. Children were too excited. They wanted to visit every spectacular place including museums, parks, Disney land, New York City and the Statue of Liberty. And I also appreciated such a trip for having the opportunity to visit those friends of mine some of whom I missed for more than 20 years and we were supposed to get together, have meals around a dinner table, talk about each other's spirits and conditions, being introduced to each other's family, let our children know the others and enjoy our time together after all.

On 2nd Aug 2006 taking KLM flight No. 605; we had a lengthy trip until we landed on San Francisco airport at 13:30. An immigration policeman inquireing ordinary question at our arrival gate took us to visa section where I was asked issues such as my intention of traveling to U.S., the place and the duration of my stay and the cash amount I carried. While the other passengers got the stamp on their visa, we've been driven to Secondary section. I met there two other Iranian ladies whom had been granted the same valid visa as we had.

It was about 17 o'clock since we were asked repeated questions, fingerprinted, photographed, frisked and searched by the personal effects for several times. Five hours later, we've been informed that all entry visas issued for attending the annual gathering has been revoked. I raised the question that while our addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers were available to the officials, why they didn't inform us of the latest state of our visas to cancel the trip and to prevent extra charges as well? They had no reply but kept saying that they were not responsible for that!

During these desperate, agitating hours of stress, the three of us and my two children were asked to sign several forms which we signed without considering the content of the same because of the tough time we were facing with. My children were depressed and crying because of such a humiliating situation not knowing the reason behind that; therefore, I would sign any form hurriedly to get rid of that tough time as soon as possible.

Eight hours later, we understood that we are deported and would be returned to Holland, the provenance country, but since the plane to Amsterdam had already took off, we will be under custody for the night. All our personal effects were taken away and we've been frisked again. They separated us from my children, and to our surprise, they said the children would be carried to and kept in children's jail and we will be taken to women's prison of Santa Clara. I just couldn't believe my ears. Wasn't it just a nightmare? What was going on? What we had done to deserve such a bad treatment like this? My innocent children with souls full of good intentions and high hopes had a beautiful view of this land, but now, after a few hours of hunger, thirst and tension, they were going to jail away from their mother, the only one who can trust, who is their guardian and is to care for them at the absence of their father in this vast, strange country with more strange people dressed as police officers who are supposed to treat children nice and kind. They were moved to the jail in a prisoners' car. I've been told later that my little girl, away from her parents, unaware of what would come to her and where are they taking her, was extremely nervous, edgy and crying all way long. In the jail my dear children were forced to change unwillingly their new clean dresses, while they could read on the boards and graffiti slogans "America, the land of freedom and liberty" and weep for their deplorable star.

My two companions and I were delivered to local police station and after being frisked and manacled, have been sent to women's prison of Santa Clara in a prisoners' car. Again we experienced to be fingerprinted, photographed, frisked and signing several forms not knowing the contents of which. They pushed the three of us in an approximately 3 meter square horrifying dirty cell with an awfully grimy toilet sink and basin which was the only source for drinking water. The cell was already occupied with four women mostly ganders, drunken and prostitutes. These kinds of women were added to the cell each time the door opened and soon there was no place to stand on feet. We were brought out for more investigations twice that horrible night. The interrogator told me that they would bring us to the court tomorrow morning. I was wondering why we should be referred to the court? We have entered U.S. territory with valid entry visas with no evidence to be criminal or accused for a crime, we were graduated individuals with clean backgrounds, then why should we appeared in a court of justice? Every minute I spent in that grubby dump place, I was worried and thinking about my cherubic children whom I escorted to U.S. to be entertained and enjoy their summer holidays, but now they are imprisoned in children's jail where I know nothing about it and I am captured here in women's prison of Santa Clara suffering from affront, humiliation and stress inadvertently associating with a bunch of gadders, drunken and prostitutes women while neither I nor my children have done any thing wrong against governmental laws and regulations of this country and or any other countries. And now we are threatened to be sent before judge. O dear God I should cry a river to put my dearest ones in such a stupid trouble. Heavens help me trust the U.S. authorities who granted us visa, who propaganda proudly for their country to be the land of freedom and liberty. O lord assist me believe alleged love for children of the world stated by the spokesmen and spokeswomen of this country.

Anyhow, the next morning at 7:30 after re-fingerprinting we've been delivered to the airport in criminal's car, being accompanied with criminal men on the back of the car, we in the middle and a dangerous huge man fastened with chain, fetter and shackle in an ironed cage. At the airport, I didn't care for the handcuffs on my hands anymore, I also didn't thing that I am a graduate, a chemical engineer who has come to U.S. just for a friendly gathering and promenade and is not deserve cuffs, my only worry and desire was for my cherished children to see them alive, safe and sound. When I once again entered the immigration police office at the airport and saw my daughters weeping and stressed, I embraced and hugged them both and thanked God and begged The Almighty to put an end to this predicament.

After 30 hours of drifting, thirst and hunger as an accommodation of the United State of America, the land of freedom and liberty, without offering even refreshment to the children, they embark us, depositing our Passports and papers with the pilot to return them to us after the flight is done, as it is usually treated towards criminals. And so we got back to Amsterdam. During this period we were not allowed to have any kind of contact such as call, fax, email etc to our relevant inside nor outside the U.S.

Having my Passport in hand, I noticed that the three issued visas are crossed out all over the relevant pages. This would certainly affect on obtaining visa from any other country. Is that the meaning of human rights? Do American authorities have such a right to spoil vacations of innocent non-political people and put some troubles before their chances for applying visa from even other countries with an affection on their possible occupations and studies?

After 3 days, I'm still shocked for what has happened to us. For what crime my daughters and I were punished by American authorities? We submitted valid papers, upon which the visas were issued, and there existed no ineligibility for admission into the U.S. in our case, at least we were not told of such stuff. Since we were not the only ones their visas were revoked, why the involved authorities didn't inform us after visas were issued? Who accepts the responsibilities for the damages both material and spiritual? Who would answer my children why they have been treated so subhuman and brutal? Who would remove the dreadful repercussions of this bitter event from the crystal mind and soul of my children? I, as a mother, who is highly involved with the educating and training of her children, try to find an answer to any question raised by my children, but in this case I an unable to find a persuasive reply to this mess.

I would appreciate if any one kindly takes the responsibility and bravely wants the relevant officials to consider the questions rose in this note and answer accordingly.