JOSEPH JOHNSON
-: §4dnee the beginning of the McCarthyite period, both Democratic and Republican administrations have sought to establish a legal pattern for depriving citizens of the United States of their citizenship because of their political views. In the case of naturalized citizens some successes have been recorded in these reactionary efforts. With citizens born in the United States, this has Proved more difficult.
“Thus considerable interest has arisen in what may well prove to be a test case in this area -- the efforts to deport Joseph Johnson who was born in Chicago, Illinois, November 7, 1950, and who spent his childhood in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service claims that he is..an."alien" because he went to Canada during the fifties and ran..for public office in Toronto, They also contend he fled the. country in.:order to avoid being drafted and lived in- Canada. under a an assumed..name, | . ea oe 7 dohngon-does not deny going to Canada, In fact no ie. ecbac
pleasant things to say about the atmosphere in Canada in contrast: : to the witeh-hunt ing | in the U.S. But he does deny becoming a Canad+ ian. oO med ont
When he learned that his draft number had come up and that he was being charged with draft evasion, he says, he returned to the United States. He had barely crossed the border at Buffalo when he was arrested by Immigration authorities as an American citizen seek- - ing to evade the draft. As a native of the state, he was returned to Wisconsin, tried as an American citizen, convicted as an American citizen, and was sentenced as an American citizen to serve two years in an American prison.
“He argues that this should be sufficient evidence to prove that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U. Se Courts regarded him as an American citizen. oo. :
Perhaps they would not have changed their minds about this if Johnson had not later joined the Socialist Workers party, become organizer of the Twin Cities branch of that organization and run first for congress in 1962 and then for mayor of Minneapolis ‘against -- crime of crimes! ~- both the Republicans and Democrats, ‘That was when the MeCarthyites decided that Johnson was obviously an “alien who should’ be deported.
+ The Emergency Civil Liberties ‘Committee has taken the case and provided Lecnard Boudin’ as general. counsel and Douglas Hall of Minneapolis as local counsel. Ths two lawyers say that Johnson has given permission to take: the: case to the. Supreme Court Af necessary.
A committee has been formed to raise funds for Legal expenses, to publicize the case and to get sponsors. The address is "Committee to Oppose the'Deportation of Joseph Johnson," P.0.Box 8731, Northstar Bldg., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, U.S.A. ©
NOT