http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14142352/

Immigrants sue U.S. over application delays
Middle Easterners, Asians frustrated by indefinite processing times

LOS ANGELES - Ten Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants sued the
government Tuesday for allegedly letting their U.S. citizenship
applications linger indefinitely by delaying background checks.

Filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, the suit asks that a
federal judge review the files and administer the oath of citizenship.

It also seeks class-action status to include all immigrants who have
been waiting at least six months for naturalization after filing
applications at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service in Los
Angeles.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Muslims and immigrants
from the Middle East and Asia have often complained of unexplained
delays in the processing of immigration applications. The Southern
California suit follows a handful of others across the U.S. in recent
years.

"Whether the delays are based on discrimination or incompetence, they
have to end," said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Southern
California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which
along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California
filed the suit.

"Muslims will not accept any longer being treated as second-class
citizens by this administration."

(snip)