more on Novelist McEwan barred from US

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 07:28:51 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ole Jacobsen <ole () cisco com>
Subject: Re: [IP] Novelist McEwan barred from US
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>

Interesting that the Guardian did not get the crucial detail: McEwan was
being PAID and therefore needed a visa:


 SEATTLE (Reuters) - The case of the renowned British author Ian McEwan,
who was denied U.S. entry for 36 hours this week for lack of a work visa,
was handled properly, Homeland Security officials say, deflecting
complaints about murky immigration rules.

McEwan, whose latest novel "Atonement" was nominated for Britain's Book of
the Year award, was stopped in Vancouver, British Columbia on Tuesday
morning as he prepared to enter the United States for a series of paid
lectures and a hiking trip.

"I consider this a win-win situation," James Michie, a spokesman for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said on Friday. "He was apparently
unaware of the need for a visa, but he was able to get one and complete
his trip."

The U.S. allows citizens of 29 nations, including Britain, to visit as
tourists without a visa. Journalists and others on business trips
typically need special visas.

McEwan was receiving honorariums of $5,000 (2,700 pounds) per speech and
attendees had paid as much as $100 each for tickets to hear him on his
current speaking tour along the U.S. west coast.

"It doesn't matter how much he was getting paid. A visa is required. That
is the law and there is no way to get around that, not that I'm suggesting
he was trying to get around it," Michie said.

<snip>


Full story at:


http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040402/325/eq7hk.html


Ole



Ole J. Jacobsen
Editor and Publisher,  The Internet Protocol Journal
Academic Research and Technology Initiatives, Cisco Systems
Tel: +1 408-527-8972   GSM: +1 415-370-4628
E-mail: ole () cisco com  URL: http://www.cisco.com/ipj



On Mon, 5 Apr 2004, Dave Farber wrote:

>
> Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
> Date: Mon, 05 Apr 2004 09:32:54 -0400
> From: Lillie Coney <coney () epic org>
> Subject: US-VISIT Extended to Europe and Japan
> X-Sender: coney@192.168.1.2
> To: farber () andrew cmu edu
>
> >http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,1183359,00.html
> >Novelist McEwan barred from US
> >Audrey Gillan
> >Thursday April 1, 2004
> >The Guardian
> >
> >A little local difficulty: Ian McEwan
> >
> >One of Laura Bush's favourite British authors has been refused entry to
> >the US, a day before he was due to lecture to an audience of 2,500 people.
> >
> >Ian McEwan was stopped by immigration officials as he left Vancouver
> >airport, in Canada, for an engagement in Seattle.
> >
> >The man who was last year invited to Downing Street by Cherie Blair to
> >meet American's first lady - who said she keeps a McEwan novel by her
> >bedside - found himself detained for four hours before being turned back.
> >
> >McEwan, who recently won America's National Book Award for his novel
> >Atonement, was travelling to the US as a guest of the California Institute
> >of Technology in Pasadena. Officials there told him he did not need a
> >visa. But the immigration officer felt differently.
> >
> >Yesterday the British consul in Vancouver, James Rawlinson, scrambled to
> >help clear McEwan's visit. The matter was referred to the US consul and
> >the department of home land security in Washington DC, while the author
> >stayed at a hotel.
> >
> >He is also due to lecture in Portland, Oregon, as well as appearing as a
> >visiting writer at Caltech. "I have been doing this type of thing for 30
> >years and I have never been refused entry," he said.
> >
> >"I am talking about my work, and who can talk about my work better than
> >me? I am not coming to the US to practise as a novelist, I am coming to
> >talk about being a novelist."
> >
> >Mr Rawlinson said it was not clear whether McEwan's "little difficulty"
> >was a result of a misunderstanding.
> >
> >Marjorie Gooding of Caltech said the problem was a result of the
> >"ambiguity in the interpretation of visa requirements". She said: "We get
> >one read of the law and a port of entry guy gets another read."
> >
> >McEwan got stuck in the middle. Last night he said: "The irony is that
> >beside me, when I was being questioned, was a lady who had a suitcase
> >stuffed full of banknotes. I had to be very careful not to lose my temper."
> >
> >_______________________________________________
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> >EPIC_all () mailman epic org
> >https://mailman.epic.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/epic_all
>
>
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