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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A Christian homeschooling family, targeted by the Biden administration for deportation, has been granted a one-year extension.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has documented over 2.8 million illegal aliens coming into the US between October 2022 and August 2023. Instead of doing something about this unprecedented national crisis, the current administration is going after a homeschooling family that has lived in Morristown, Tennessee peacefully and without issue for a decade.
The Romeike family fled Germany 15 years ago when their fundamental rights as parents to direct their children’s education were denied. Homeschooling in Germany is permitted only in very narrow circumstances.
In 2006 Uwe and Hannelore Romeike responded to God’s call to homeschool their children despite German law essentially outlawing the practice and were quickly met with resistance from German authorities. The family faced fines exceeding their income, had children forcibly removed from their home and taken to school, and were threatened with the possibility of their children being taken away permanently.
Upon arriving in the United States, Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) helped them apply for asylum. It took five years of legal battles amid public outcry for the Romeikes to be granted “indefinite deferred action status” in 2014. This allowed them to live and work without fear of being deported.
Suddenly and without warning, during a routine check-in in September 2023, the Romeikes learned that their deferred status was revoked. They were given just four weeks to apply for German passports.
The family, who settled in Morristown, Tennessee, have built a second life here in the last 10 years. Two of their children are American citizens, and they have two other children who are married to American citizens. Being deported to Germany would mean that the family would be fractured, and face persecution again in a country where opposition to homeschooling has only increased in the last decade. Should the Romeikes be forced to return, criminal charges against them will be almost guaranteed.
According to HSLDA, public outcry once again helped the Romeikes get a one-year reprieve.
“This is our first victory,” HSLDA Attorney Kevin Boden said. “HSLDA is pleased that ICE has granted a one-year stay. The Romeike family has been given a reprieve, and we will continue to work on their behalf for a permanent solution.”
US Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger who represents District 1 in Tennessee has authored a bill, H.R. 5423, that would enable the Romeikes to stay permanently.
Harshbarger said that many East Tennesseans were among the 100,000 Americans who petitioned Congress to allow the Romeikes to stay.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
4 Responses
All of this family should of done applied to be citizens by now! Just go to Mexico and walk across the OPEN border and presto!.
Christian persecution is alive and well and growing in the world, including the USA. What a twit Biden and his Homeland Security are. We have no borders, everyone is welcome, but this Christian, law abiding, tax paying family is no longer welcome? Calling evil good and good evil is a sign of the end of times.
Thank you Congresswoman Harshbarger for stepping up to try to correct another injustice of this demonic OBiden Administration.
I am certain they could simply move a little east to Hamblen County. The government cannot seem to notice any of the illegal aliens in Morristown (Mexitown).