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27 Congresspersons Ask AG Holder to Stop Deportation of German Homeschoolers
Christian Post ^ | 05/29/2013 | Napp Nazworth

Posted on 05/29/2013 1:59:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

A letter signed by 27 members of Congress asks Attorney General Eric Holder to grant asylum to the Romeikes, a German family that fled to the United States after their government threatened to take their kids away from them because they homeschooled.

"A decision to deny the Romeikes the opportunity to educate their children freely is a decision to abandon our commitment to freedom," the letter argues. "Doing so would put America alongside those countries that believe children belong to the community or state."

The Romeikes recently lost a case in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in which they were seeking asylum. The court found that the Romeikes should not be granted asylum because homeschoolers do not fit the definition of a particular social group subjected to persecution. The Romeikes could simply send their children to public schools to avoid punishment from the German government, the court reasoned.

The letter, on the other hand, argues that homeschoolers are a particular social group: "Although parents can change their minds about homeschooling, no parent in a free nation should be forced by the state to make that decision."

The Romeikes are represented by the Home School Legal Defense Association, which has said it will appeal the court's decision.

"It's refreshing to see that there are members of Congress who are willing to put their support behind this family during this trying time," said Michael Farris, chairman of HSLDA. "The Romeikes are doing the exact same thing the Pilgrims did hundreds of years ago, and they need to see there are still people in our government who care for this essential American ideal."

The signers of the letter are: Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), Tim Huelskamp (R-KS), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Randy Hultgren (R-IL), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Mark Meadows (R-NC), Luke Messer (R-IN), Jeff Miller (R-FL), Alan Nunnelee (R-MS), Stevan Pearce (R-NM), Joe Pitts (R-PA), Mike Pompeo (R-KS), Bill Posey (R-FL), Phil Roe (R-TN), Todd Rokita (R-IN), Steve Scalise (R-LA), Steve Southerland (R-FL), Chris Stewart (R-UT), Steve Stockman (R-TX), Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), Lee Terry (R-NE), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), and Daniel Webster (R-FL).


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Germany; Government
KEYWORDS: deportation; germany; homeschooling
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Uwe and Hannelore Romeike (middle) and their six children, with Michael Farris (L) and the rest of the HSLDA legal team (back), at a hearing for Romeike vs. Holder at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Cincinnati, Ohio, April, 23, 2013.
1 posted on 05/29/2013 1:59:24 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

It’s the religion, s*
They’re not the right one, not Pieceful 8(


2 posted on 05/29/2013 2:03:06 PM PDT by veracious
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To: SeekAndFind
H0lder's typical STASI response; for the children:


3 posted on 05/29/2013 2:03:23 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: veracious

I wonder what would happen if this were an asylum seeking MUSLIM family who homeschool their kids on the Koran.


4 posted on 05/29/2013 2:04:53 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

HSLDA asked them to come here to make US and German homeschooling laws an issue. They could have moved anywhere in Europe and had the freedom to homeschool - but, for one, Britain was “too expensive”. Our system of asylum should be for real persecution and not cost of living considerations.

Now that they have an anchor baby, they have other options when HSLDA runs out of use for them.


5 posted on 05/29/2013 2:06:06 PM PDT by greatvikingone
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To: greatvikingone

I won’t be too hard on this family... they are self-sufficient and have never applied for any government benefits at all.


6 posted on 05/29/2013 2:09:16 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Not a single (D) in the bunch. I guess the D’s are pro-choice, except with respect to school choice, employment, health care, freedom to smoke, which gun(s) to own and where to carry them, and about a hundred other things. But, other than that, free choice.


7 posted on 05/29/2013 2:09:27 PM PDT by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Why only 27?


8 posted on 05/29/2013 2:10:25 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: SeekAndFind

Not one single Democrat among them. Not a one. Bastards.


9 posted on 05/29/2013 2:10:37 PM PDT by VR-21 (I'm weary of being lorded over by criminals and gilded degenerates.)
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To: VR-21

RE: Not one single Democrat among them. Not a one. Bastards.

They don’t like the fact that this family is not a burden to US taxpayers... which means -— THEY ARE UNLIKELY TO BE A CONSTITUENT.


10 posted on 05/29/2013 2:11:48 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

When did holder become so concerned about immigration?


11 posted on 05/29/2013 2:13:29 PM PDT by clearcarbon
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To: SeekAndFind

They are exactly the type of immigrants/asylum seekers we should be encouraging to come here! Gees are we so screwed!


12 posted on 05/29/2013 2:14:20 PM PDT by Red_Devil 232 (VietVet - USMC All Ready On The Right? All Ready On The Left? All Ready On The Firing Line!)
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To: clearcarbon

RE: When did holder become so concerned about immigration?

When:

1) The asylum seekers are white

2) The asylum seekers don’t apply for welfare and are not dependent on government; and therefore ...

3) Are unlikely to become Democrats


13 posted on 05/29/2013 2:15:52 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: Red_Devil 232

RE: Gees are we so screwed!

We prefer families like the Tsarnaev’s as asylum seekers.


14 posted on 05/29/2013 2:16:44 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: greatvikingone
Our system of asylum should be for real persecution ...

Like that experienced by Chechens!

15 posted on 05/29/2013 2:17:02 PM PDT by Tax-chick (The Commie Plot Theory of Everything. Give it a try - you'll be surprised how often it makes sense.)
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To: All


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16 posted on 05/29/2013 2:17:53 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: greatvikingone

Oh really?? And you know this how?


17 posted on 05/29/2013 2:18:55 PM PDT by Shimmer1 (I haven't even started to procrastinate.)
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To: Red_Devil 232

“Why only 27?”

You nailed it. Why are there only 27 congressmen to do the right thing? Everything is politics and what do I get out of it.

I still can’t believe that there was not ONE democrat senator that could find the conscience within him or herself to vote against the abomination of Obamacare - Not one demorat senator who valued the Constitution over party machinations.

Wasn’t there at least one senator who knew he wasn’t going to run again ( like Baucus ) that could have served his country instead of his party ?


18 posted on 05/29/2013 2:21:40 PM PDT by A'elian' nation
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To: SeekAndFind

They had better petition Rubio. He’s big on immigration, amnesty and the rest.

Do it very publicly so he can help or show his hypocrisy or both.


19 posted on 05/29/2013 2:28:22 PM PDT by stanne
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To: SeekAndFind
I wonder what would happen if this were an asylum seeking MUSLIM family who homeschool their kids on the Koran.

I don't think we've had any issues there. The problem with letting this family in is that we could start letting in unlimited numbers of Muslims under the same provisions. Because there are more Muslims who want to come here than there are Germans in Germany. If we want to let Christians in on a preferential basis, we need to enact such a law. The home-schooling thing is just too broad, and opens the doors to unlimited immigration from all corners of the world.

20 posted on 05/29/2013 2:28:25 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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