Tennessee family facing deportation 15 years after fleeing Germany to homeschool kids granted 1-year reprieve
Lawmakers pled with the Department of Homeland Security to reconsider the deportation
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A German family that faced deportation after making a home for themselves in East Tennessee for the past 15 years has been granted a one-year stay of removal, a source familiar with the situation told Fox News Digital.
The development comes after lawmakers intervened on the Romeike family's behalf, asking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to reconsider the move.
"We are asking you and your office to give this family a chance to continue building their lives in Tennessee. It is our understanding a court has ruled they are allowed to stay indefinitely, as long as they fulfill their obligation of checking in as ordered by ICE. To our knowledge they have been faithful in doing so," a number of Tennessee lawmakers pled in a letter to ICE Deputy Director Patrick J. Lechleitner.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tennessee lawmakers wrote a letter to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – a division of the Department of Homeland Security – asking them to reconsider the deportation. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
"To uproot this family who has been contributing to our city, county and state in many ways seems unduly cruel and unnecessary. As time is of the essence, we ask that a review of their circumstances be made and at least give this family more time."
The Romeike family, originally from Germany, fled to the U.S. after being fined for homeschooling their children in their mother country. Initially, an immigration judge found the Romeike family's asylum claim appropriate. Five years later, however, their asylum claim was denied, with authorities claiming they weren't persecuted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"[Homeschooling] is illegal [in Germany]," Hannelore Romeike recently explained on "FOX & Friends Weekend." The family, along with their supporters, remain fearful they would face the same persecution if they are ever forced to return.
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The Romeike family faced deportation 15 years after fleeing Germany for the U.S. (FOX & Friends Weekend/Screengrab)
Kevin Boden, an attorney representing the family, explained that a judge initially found the Romeike family to have a "well-founded fear of persecution" as a particular social group (homeschoolers). However, the Obama administration appealed that finding to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That appeal court agreed with them, as did the Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court denied it…. We think this is, in fact, an asylum case. We do think they have a well-founded fear as we testified…" he told Fox News at the time.
In a letter obtained by Fox News Digital, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., pled the case for the family to Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas, highlighting the massive number of illegal border crossings as authorities threatened to deport a family who abided by "legal parameters" of the immigration system.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Attorney Kevin Boden said the Romeike family has lived in the U.S. legally for 15 years and would like to remain in their Tennessee home. (Fox & Friends Weekend/Screengrab)
"Since President Biden took office, there have been millions of illegal crossings at our southern border. The number of crossings has skyrocketed because these migrants perceive the Biden administration's border policies to be weak and ineffective. Instead of changing course, you doubled down when you visited Texas, saying that you ‘have confidence in our model.’ The model that you expressed such confidence in has consisted entirely of refusing to enforce the laws that protect our nation's sovereignty," the letter read in part.
"Instead, you have chosen to focus your time and resources on targeting the Romeike family, who legally immigrated to Morristown, Tennessee over 15 years ago…" the letter continued to describe the Romeikes as "upstanding members of the Morristown community" and noted their diligence by keeping up with check-ins with immigration agents.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The letter continued, "This enforcement action highlights the two standards of justice that have been a constant theme of President Biden's first two and a half years in office. You are targeting a family who fled Germany in search of basic parental rights and has legally resided in the United States for years. Simultaneously, you have allowed millions of illegal immigrants – some of whom have been identified as terrorists – to enter the country with abandon…"
According to The Tennessean, the Romeike family now has seven children, two of which were born in the United States and are U.S. citizens.
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