U.S. House Members Push Plan to Stop ICE from Deporting Iraqis

U.S. House members say a federal appeals court decision that allows ICE to deport some Iraqis is a death sentence, because many of them are Christians. House will consider a bill to keep them in the U.S. for two years. ICE says the Iraqis pose a danger.

Chaldean Deportation Rally 1

Andy Levin

A bipartisan group of U.S. House members, including most of Michigan’s Congressional delegation, wants the Trump Administration to stop sending some Iraqi’s already scheduled for deportation back to their native home.

Last year a federal judge in Detroit ordered the Iraqi’s freed, ruling they faced torture or death if deported because many of them are Christians.

But an appeals court overturned that decision.

Now Michigan Congressman Andy Levin is introducing legislation calling for a two-year halt to the deportations.

Levin says his 9th Congressional District has more Iraqi-born constituents than any other district in the nation.

He says for those he represents who are Chaldeans – Iraqi’s who are Christian – deportation is truly a matter of life and death.

Levin talked about the situation with WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter.

 

Click the audio link above to hear the full conversation

Author

  • Quinn Klinefelter is a Senior News Editor at 101.9 WDET. In 1996, he was literally on top of the news when he interviewed then-Senator Bob Dole about his presidential campaign and stepped on his feet.