Immigration and Customs Enforcement rounded up Chaldean Americans 2 years ago

It has been two years since a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweep put hundreds of Iraqi nationals into jail to await deportation to Iraq.

Many are still in jail—and limbo.

Why did the United States detain several hundred Chaldeans in 2017?The situation is especially dire for Christian and Chaldean Iraqis, who fear persecution by the government, non Christian-Iraqis and extremists if they are returned. Most of those detained have been in the United States for a long time and some were picked up having served their time on minor crimes.

The arrests, and Michigan State University’s proximity to the center of the Chaldean American community prompted us to publish a guide that answers questions including:

In 2017, President Donald Trump called for a travel ban on seven Muslim countries. One was Iraq. Iraq was exempted from the ban after it agreed to accept 1,400 deportees. The United States then began detaining Iraqis who had committed crimes in the country. Hundreds of Chaldeans were detained. There have been appeals from the Chaldean community and others to free detainees and not deport them to a land that many fled because of hostilities against them.

What awaits Chaldeans who are deported to Iraq?

Chaldeans said they were worried for their quality of life if they must return to Iraq. Most recent immigrants fled Iraq to escape discrimination and persecution by the government, militias and extremists. Chaldean Americans said deportations would break up families and become “death sentences” for those sent away.

“100 Questions and Answers About Chaldean Americans” is available from Amazon or the Front Edge Publishing bookstore.

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