Speech #1090139091

I thank the chairman. Senator SPECTER. and Senator LEAHY for accepting my amendment. which would help thousands of religious minorities who have come to the United States seeking relief from the persecution they faced in Iraq. Currently in the United States. approximately 3.000 Christian Iraqisabout 2.000 of whom are in the metropolitan Detroit areaare in jeopardy of being deported. These are persons with no criminal record who came to the United States seeking asylum during the regime of Saddam Hussein. Due to the long delays in the immigration system. however. their cases were not heard before April 30. 2003. when the United States declared victory in Iraq. When these individuals finally had their day in court. the immigration judge denied their application because the government in Iraq that persecuted these individuals was no longer in power. These Iraqi Christians had valid claims for asylum when the came here. they have been hardworking. law abiding residents over many years. and they have put down roots and raised families here. They should not be punished for the bureaucratic backlogs of the immigration judicial system. My amendment would protect persecuted religious minorities who fled Saddam Husseins oppressive government in Iraq and came to the United States with valid claims of asylum and for whom. despite the change in government regime. it is not safe to return to their homeland. The persecuted religious minorities are defined as someone who is or was a national or resident of Iraq. is a member of a religious minority in Iraq. and shares common characteristics with other minorities in Iraq who have been targets of persecution on account of race. religion. nationality. membership in a particular social group. or political opinion.