WASHINGTON, Nov 27: Muslims living in the United States are pleading with Washington not to block immigration from Islamic countries as it would only aid those wanting to widen the gulf between the Muslim and the Western worlds.

Muslims have been reacting to a Justice Department directive asking male visitors from 13 additional countries to show up for fingerprinting and questioning at immigration offices nationwide starting on Dec 2.

Since 12 of the countries are Muslim, the move has sent alarm bells ringing among American Muslims.

“Mandatory fingerprinting, movement reports and periodic interviews with immigration officials are parallel to McCarthy era. This and other such policies will only exacerbate anti-Americanism within and outside America,” said Shakeel Syed, vice president of the IslamiCity.com, California’s largest online Muslim organization that focuses on theology, Muslim news and other community activities.

He was referring to the 1950s, when a conservative senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy a witchhunt for communists and victimized thousands of innocent people.

“This is profiling. It is just a way to put a halt to immigration from the Muslim countries,” said Faiz Rehman, communications director for the American Muslim Council.