Our Community and Our Rights
Ali Sadr
On Sunday, May 31, 2026, the end-of-school celebration was held at the Iranian School of San Diego, officially marking the thirty-eighth year of the school’s activity. After the graduation ceremony and watching the students’ artistic performances during the children’s recreational activities, one of the students’ mothers came to me and, while congratulating me and wishing me a pleasant summer, shared an interesting point.
She said she is grateful for the existence of the Iranian School in the city and that in the past few months, amid the turbulent atmosphere and the uproar of raging anger outside, the school has been an extraordinary shelter for her and her friends. She said she counted the days until Sunday to come to the safe and friendly environment of the school. A place where no one is judged. Everyone, with any belief, creed, or religion, feels secure. She said this environment has even been more pleasant and safe for her than her own family environment. At the end, she again thanked us for creating such a peaceful and cultured environment and said she wished the school wouldn’t close for the summer! Thanking her and wishing her and her family a happy summer, I said that our aim during all this time has been to keep the school away from the upheavals and political crises in Iran. This has been one of the reasons for our growth and survival. The school and the center have been able to be at the center of a community around which they formed.
Our focus at the school and Kanoon has been to educate, preserve, and propagate a dynamic Iranian culture. This does not mean that we do not follow events in Iran or are not affected by the oppression of the people, by the war and the massacre of the innocent, or that we do not take positions in certain cases. But our efforts are to avoid getting involved in political polarization and to deal with news and events in an objective and principled manner.
On the other hand, we are aware that Iranians who have immigrated here are going to stay in this country and region. Therefore, we try to inform them of their rights by any means possible. This duty primarily rests with Peyk magazine. As you can see, we publish many articles about civil rights, familiarity with the Constitution, and other laws that affect our lives and our children. Even during elections, through interviews and articles, we try to present different viewpoints without concluding which is right and which is not. With our articles, we encourage the Iranian community to participate in elections. Despite what is happening in Iran, with all the concerns we have for Iran and our loved ones, our children, our parents, who live in this country and must be able to defend our rights. We must be aware and vigilant about issues that pertain to the Iranian community.
For example, in the past year, when our main attention has been on Iran, protests, and suppression, many social rights of immigrants, including Iranians, have been violated. Many Iranians who had applied for a Green Card or were in various stages of obtaining U.S. citizenship suddenly found themselves suspended and left in limbo. Why? Because Iran was one of the thirty-nine countries under sanction, and all these applications were put on hold.
Another example: did you know that, according to publicly released statistics up to December last year, more than five hundred and fifty Iranians were in immigration detention (ICE) facilities? Of these, more than fifty were in the same “Otay Masa” prison, in our county. Most of these people are asylum seekers. The ages of these detainees range from five to over seventy years old. Did you know that up to now, i.e., before the start of the war, three groups of Iranians who were mainly asylum seekers were sent back to Iran, and there has been no news of their fate? These are our compatriots, friends, and neighbors. Shouldn’t we do something for them? Hire a lawyer for them or at least contact our congressional representatives and express concern about their situation?
A few weeks ago, the California primaries were held. When I encountered some of my friends and asked them about the election, most of them did not know. Some said, “Oh come on, what are you saying? Iran is being destroyed; are you thinking about this election?” I asked if they think there is anything they can do about Iran. They all said no. I told them, then at least think about yourself and your children and the Iranian community. At least elect representatives, whether locally or nationally, who will defend your interests. Defend human rights and protect the environment. I know it’s easy to say, but we must defend our rights and those of our fellow countrymen and not allow ourselves to be treated as second-class citizens.
