Thread: Teacher granted delay in deportation

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegio ... leid=71426

Teacher granted delay in deportation

By Associated Press
Thursday, March 3, 2005

BOSTON - The Department of Homeland Security has granted a week delay to a Boston high school teacher who faced deportation.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry's office said the department granted the reprieve to Obain Attouoman, who was due to be deported Friday. Kerry, Gov. Mitt Romney [related, bio] and other elected officials had asked for a review of Attouoman's case. His students and colleagues have lobbied officials to allow him to remain in the country.

The delay is expected to give senators enough time to formally request a report from the Department of Homeland Security, effectively stalling his deportation until the end of this Congress in October 2006.

Attouoman, 42, a math teacher at Boston's Fenway High School, fled Ivory Coast to escape political persecution in 1992 and later applied for asylum in the United States. But he missed a hearing with an immigration judge in 2001 and was ordered deported. He lost his appeal.

Kerry introduced a bill in Congress that would allow Attouoman to remain in the country. U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., introduced a similar bill last year.

``This fight is not over,'' Kerry said in a statement. ``Today I introduced legislation to allow (Attouoman) to stay in the United States permanently. It's very clear our immigration system is broken. Until we fix it, this legislation may be the only possible answer.''

Kerry has asked Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to request a background report on Attouoman from the federal Citizens and Immigration Service. Cornyn is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration.

Once Cornyn requests the report, Attouoman's deportation would be automatically delayed until the end of the 109th Congress, giving Kerry's bill time to pass the House and Senate.

Cornyn's spokesman Don Stewart said the senator is expected to request the report on Kerry's behalf as a matter of procedure. There is generally no review of the merits of the case by the subcommittee.

In a letter he sent to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Thursday, Gov. Mitt Romney also pleaded Attouoman's case, calling him ``a teacher and role model.''

He also credited the efforts of Attouoman's students, who led a public charge to prevent his deportation.

``The unique and impassioned effort by these students to convey to our government the important contribution of Mr. Attouoman certainly demonstrates the impact he is having as a member of our education community,'' he wrote.

Attouoman's application for asylum was rejected in 2000 and his case referred to immigration court. He claims he missed the 2001 hearing because he misread the handwritten date on the notice. He received a deportation order days later.

He asked for another hearing, but a judge rejected the request. The Board of Immigration Appeals in Washington dismissed his appeal in February 2002, Cohen said.

Attouoman was arrested on a deportation warrant in November 2003, but he was released last March after hundreds of supporters rallied. Another protest last month won him a three-week reprieve.



Notice this paragraph:

"Attouoman's application for asylum was rejected in 2000 and his case referred to immigration court. He claims he missed the 2001 hearing because he misread the handwritten date on the notice. He received a deportation order days later."

He's a teacher, but he "misread" the handwritten date? Sounds kind of ironic doesn't it?

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegio ... leid=71426

Teacher granted delay in deportation

By Associated Press
Thursday, March 3, 2005

BOSTON - The Department of Homeland Security has granted a week delay to a Boston high school teacher who faced deportation.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry's office said the department granted the reprieve to Obain Attouoman, who was due to be deported Friday. Kerry, Gov. Mitt Romney [related, bio] and other elected officials had asked for a review of Attouoman's case. His students and colleagues have lobbied officials to allow him to remain in the country.

The delay is expected to give senators enough time to formally request a report from the Department of Homeland Security, effectively stalling his deportation until the end of this Congress in October 2006.

Attouoman, 42, a math teacher at Boston's Fenway High School, fled Ivory Coast to escape political persecution in 1992 and later applied for asylum in the United States. But he missed a hearing with an immigration judge in 2001 and was ordered deported. He lost his appeal.

Kerry introduced a bill in Congress that would allow Attouoman to remain in the country. U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., introduced a similar bill last year.

``This fight is not over,'' Kerry said in a statement. ``Today I introduced legislation to allow (Attouoman) to stay in the United States permanently. It's very clear our immigration system is broken. Until we fix it, this legislation may be the only possible answer.''

Kerry has asked Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to request a background report on Attouoman from the federal Citizens and Immigration Service. Cornyn is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration.

Once Cornyn requests the report, Attouoman's deportation would be automatically delayed until the end of the 109th Congress, giving Kerry's bill time to pass the House and Senate.

Cornyn's spokesman Don Stewart said the senator is expected to request the report on Kerry's behalf as a matter of procedure. There is generally no review of the merits of the case by the subcommittee.

In a letter he sent to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Thursday, Gov. Mitt Romney also pleaded Attouoman's case, calling him ``a teacher and role model.''

He also credited the efforts of Attouoman's students, who led a public charge to prevent his deportation.

``The unique and impassioned effort by these students to convey to our government the important contribution of Mr. Attouoman certainly demonstrates the impact he is having as a member of our education community,'' he wrote.

Attouoman's application for asylum was rejected in 2000 and his case referred to immigration court. He claims he missed the 2001 hearing because he misread the handwritten date on the notice. He received a deportation order days later.

He asked for another hearing, but a judge rejected the request. The Board of Immigration Appeals in Washington dismissed his appeal in February 2002, Cohen said.

Attouoman was arrested on a deportation warrant in November 2003, but he was released last March after hundreds of supporters rallied. Another protest last month won him a three-week reprieve.



Notice this paragraph:

"Attouoman's application for asylum was rejected in 2000 and his case referred to immigration court. He claims he missed the 2001 hearing because he misread the handwritten date on the notice. He received a deportation order days later."

He's a teacher, but he "misread" the handwritten date? Sounds kind of ironic doesn't it?