Nation: Meanwhile, Trouble at Home

Lack of data hampers deporting of illegal Iranian students

When the embassy was seized in Tehran, the Carter Administration looked for some means of retaliating and finally, as a first step, ordered the deportation of Iranian students who are in the U.S. illegally. As one Justice Department official said at the time, "It's the only bullets—or BBs—we had." Yet even this restrained action may fall short of any target. A lack of accurate data on the students, growing resistance from civil libertarian groups and a variety of court challenges are likely to slow down...

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