James Woolsey, Director of the CIA from 1993-1995, is currently representing on a pro bono basis six Iraqis facing deportation. Woolsey made news in a June 10, 1998 op-ed article in the Wall Street Journal where Woolsey describes the plight of these men.

Woolsey explains that the INS has classified the case against the six, withholding the nature of the charges from the accused as well as their attorney. Woolsey is unable to cross-examine government witnesses or to get access to any INS evidence against his clients. The case is a prominent example of how the 1996 immigration law changes allowing the use of secret evidence operate.

Two months ago, Woolsey filed a notice of appeal and requested access to the classified evidence against his clients. He also wrote to the Commissioner of the INS, the Attorney General and the Counsel to the President with no response. Based on Woolsey's security clearance, he thought he'd have a good chance at getting access to the evidence. Originally he was denied, but now the INS has requested a delay so that it can produce unclassified summaries of testimony.

Ironically, when the United States government evacuated these six Iraqis to Guam in 1996, they were given citizenship classes where they learned about the guarantees under the Bill of Rights. The INS now denies that they were ever admitted to the United States.