East County Chaldeans plea for release of Christians detained by Homeleand Security at Otay

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine

Detentions shine spotlight on U.S. policies that critics say is harshest system in the world for asylum seekers

August 2, 2015 (El Cajon) – Over three dozen Iraqi Chaldean Christians from El Cajon held a prayer vigil and protest outside the prison walls at the Homeland Security detention facility at Otay Mesa on Thursday, calling for the release of their family members and friends who fled ISIS only to be imprisoned when they arrived in America seeking asylum. Over two dozen have been held in indefinite detention for over four months, some up to seven months, with no hearing date set for release.

The detainees include a woman who pleaded for release to see her mother, who died Thursday at Sharp Grossmont Hospital.

Father Noel from St. Peter’s Cathedral in El Cajon told East County Magazine that all of the detained Christians have family in El Cajon who vouch for their identities and are willing to take them in. The situation is far different than for Iraqi Chaldeans who came here a decade ago seeking asylum. “Ten years ago, they were held just a couple of days and they were not in a jail,” he told East County Magazine. “Today, they are fleeing ISIS," escaping genocide in their homeland, only to arrive and be imprisoned in the U.S.

Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/east-county-chaldeans-plea-release-christians-detained-homeland-security-otay

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The U.S. treats asylum seekers worse than other civilized nations such as Canada, where they are released, perhaps with ankle bracelets pending hearings, given work permits and treated humanely.

This has only gotten worse since I wrote about this in 2012. What is wrong with America?

If you are outraged at this, contact your Congressional members and the White House. At least in the case of these asylum seekers, there is no reason to believe any of them are security risks - these are Christians who fled ISIS and all of them have family members here who vouch for their identities and are willing to take them into their homes.

I am the author of this story, and welcome current information from anyone who works with asylum seekers here or in other countries on what you have observed. Who is profiting off this misery? In this case, a private prison operator.

[Comrade Grumpy]

1. Welcome to America!

[think]

2. Held in a prison run by the privately-owned Corrections Corporation of America. /nt

[paleotn]

3. Why aren't the fundigelicals all in an uproar?

...These are Christians after all. I guess brown Christians don't count.

[Liberty Belle]

7. Actually they have come forward to speak up for the Iraqis here,

not yet on the detainee issue, but on calling for a halt to the genocide and also raising money to help displaced Iraqi Chaldeans. I was surprised frankly to seem fundamentalist and evangelical leaders in this conservative community joining with the Iraqis in solidarity. Even Pastor Garlow, a fundie radio preacher, got on the bandwagon for the Iraqis. Here are a couple of stories we had on that:

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/religious-and-political-leaders-offer-hope-amid-despair-persecuted-iraqi-christians-prayer-vigil-el

http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/over-half-million-dollars-raised-locally-help-iraqi-christians

Now that I think of it, this may be the key to getting the detainees help; maybe I should call these preachers and ask them if they've talked to their members of Congress on this matter of saving Christian lives....some of them give lots of money to the politicians; perhaps that would get them to listen and take action.

[Sunlei]

4. private 'for profit' controls our child detention camps and prisons. Not profitable to let them out.

[McCamy Taylor]

5. Just ask them to eat bacon. If they do, then they are not ISIS.

[Little Tich]

6. Not funny. n/t

[Flying Squirrel]

8. "Worse than other civilized nations..."

I think the word "other" should probably be omitted at this point.