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Chicago activist denies deceit in immigration case

By WTOP Staff

ED WHITE
Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — A Chicago activist charged with lying to get U.S. citizenship told jurors Thursday that she would have disclosed her conviction for a series of bombings in Israel if she had fully understood the questions.

Rasmieh Odeh said she lives by a strict principle: tell the truth.

Odeh, associate director at the Arab American Action Network in Chicago, answered “no” on her citizenship application in 2004 when asked about any criminal history, despite spending a decade in an Israeli prison for bombings in 1969. One killed two people at a Jerusalem supermarket.

Odeh, 67, said she believed the government was seeking information about criminal history in the U.S., not in other countries, although the form asked if she had “EVER” been charged, convicted or imprisoned.

“It’s not secret that I have been in jail. Everybody knows. … How can I hide this thing?” Odeh told jurors, her voice rising. “I can’t.”

She said she would have disclosed her record from Israel if she had understood the questions and then sought “good people” to help her if it would have affected her citizenship application.

The federal trial ended for the day just as Odeh’s attorney started to ask her about her 2004 interview with a U.S. immigration officer in Detroit. Earlier Thursday, that officer, Jennifer Williams, testified that she always asks applicants to disclose convictions from “anywhere in the world.”

Odeh is widely respected in Chicago for her work with immigrants, especially Arab women. The criminal case against her has angered pro-Palestinian activists who accuse the U.S. government of trying to silence critics of Israel.

Odeh claims the Israeli military tortured her into confessing to the 1969 bombings, which also damaged the British Consulate in Jerusalem. With jurors out of the courtroom, U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain warned Odeh that she could be held in contempt if she tried to testify about her treatment or the legitimacy of her conviction.

“Your guilt or innocence in the prior matter … is not relevant,” Drain said.

Odeh later told the jury that she was “falsely” convicted. Prosecutors objected, and the judge struck it from the record.

In 1994, when Odeh applied to enter the U.S. from Jordan, she also didn’t disclose the Israel bombings. She said her brother in the Detroit area told her how to fill out the form because she understood little English.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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