John Iwasaki reports in the Seattle P-I that Deportations of five Somali men postponed.
Five Seattle men who were scheduled to be deported today to Somalia, an African nation torn by a decade-old civil war, received a temporary reprieve yesterdayOK, what's the problem other than the usual runaround in the "immigration" court system?
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The five Somali men, who range in age from 22 to 38, entered the United States between 1992 and 1997. The youngest and one of the oldest -- a community college student studying psychology and an AT&T employee -- had outstanding warrants for deportation.
They were "charged with lying to the INS and ordered deported," said Karol Brown, one of three Perkins Coie attorneys working the case pro bono, or without compensation.
The other three Somalis -- ages 24, 25 and 38 -- were convicted of drug charges, drunken driving and assault, she said. All had served their time and were eligible for deportation.
Some of their supporters said sending them home would be tantamount to a death sentence, given the lawlessness in Somalia.No kidding! These gents reached young adulthood in the same place they are "afraid" to go back to.
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service also is failing to abide by a federal law that requires the INS to have acceptance from the government of the receiving country before deporting someone to that country, the lawyers contended.
Somalia does not have a functioning government.
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A Somali man who is friends with one of the five men, most of whom have been held for the past week, said the scheduled deportation is causing fear to sweep through the local Somali community.
The lives of those deported are "at risk 100 percent for so many reasons" because of anarchy in Somalia, said the man, who did not want his name published. "People ask for money. (If) they don't have any, they will be killed."
Somalis also face danger if they come across those from a different tribe, he said.
The man has heard thirdhand from Somalis in Seattle that their relatives faced injury or death after being deported.
The instability of the country makes communication difficult and such anecdotes difficult to confirm.
The bottom line is that the USA cannot take in every citizen of benighted 3rd world countries - because most of them are benighted. The difference between Somalia and Zimbabwe is only one of degree. Being an citizen of one is not a free pass to the USA, the local community college, and a job at AT&T, not to mention the local drug trade.