Posted on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 2:23 pm
Michael Farris, chairman for the Home School Legal Defense Association, announced Tuesday afternoon that a supervisor with the Department of Homeland Security said that a Morristown family has been granted “indefinite deferred status.”
Essentially this means that Uwe and Hannelore Romeike and their children can stay in the United States permanently unless they commit a crime or otherwise violate the terms of their status.
The Romeikes immigrated to America from Germany after running afoul of a German law requiring children attend public school or an approved private school offering the state-approved curriculum. The Romeikes, conservative Christians who objected to several parts of the state curriculum, preferred to home school their children.
In refusing to send their children to public school, the Romeikes racked up heavy fines and faced the threat of having their children removed from their home. They left for America before that could happen.
Once in Morristown, they began the long process of seeking political asylum, which was initially granted in 2010, but lost on appeal. In the four years since, the case worked its way to the steps of the Supreme Court which Monday announced it would not hear the case, leaving several of the Romeikes’ supporters in fear that the family would be deported.
Roughly 24 hours later, that was no longer a fear.
“This is an incredible victory that can only be credited to our Almighty God,” Farris said. ” We also want to thank those of who spoke up on this issue–including that long ago White House petition. We believe that the public outcry made this possible while God delivered the victory. This is an amazing turnaround in 24 hours. Praise the Lord.”
For more on the story, including comments from Uwe Romeike and several supporters, see the Wednesday edition of the Citizen Tribune.
http://www.citizentribune.com/?p=69841
The German Home-School Refugees Can Stay
Good news!
Note: The people of Tennesse were up in arms over this and vowed civil disobedience unless this family got to stay. A hats off to the Tennesseans who rallied for these folks!
