We told you the story of a church that is offering sanctuary to a man facing deportation. Protesters hit the streets in front of the ICE field office downtown on Wednesday asking for mercy for that man.
Ded Rranxburgaj is the sole caregiver for his seriously ill wife Flora. They have lived in the United States since 2001.
They say they left Albania prior to that to escape communism and religious persecution. They hoped to find a future in America.
Political circumstances improved in Albania after they left, and the United States turned down their requests for asylum. Their attorney says the United States allowed them to stay temporarily for humanitarian reasons, because Flora is in such poor health she will not be allowed on a plane to return to Albania.
Then in October, ICE gave notice it would move forward with Ded’s deportation. He needs to leave by January 25.
Flora could stay because she is so sick.
The problem? Flora says Ded is her caregiver. She is wheelchair bound and weak.
When the Central United Methodist Church in Detroit allowed his family to move in, knowing ICE has a policy of not targeting people in churches, it got attention.
Lawmakers, business owners, friends and family rallied outside the ICE field office in Detroit during Wednesday’s protest asking that he be allowed to stay in the country he has been in for 17 years, to care for his wife.
ICE responded saying that Ded Rranxburgaj has not improved his situation by taking sanctuary in the church.
“In October 2017, ICE allowed Mr. Rranxburgaj to remain free from custody while making preparations for his departure pursuant to the judge’s order, which he had satisfactorily done. He was again instructed to report to ICE, but did not report as instructed. He is currently considered an ICE fugitive,” said a statement released by ICE.
ICE says while it in general does not go into churches, there is no law banning enforcement in churches.
"As ICE Deputy Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States,” the statement said.
Ded’s sons spoke at the rally. They say they are afraid of not only losing their father, but of what will happen to their mother.
They have helped care for her, while their dad earns a living for the family, but say they can’t handle it all. One son is in college. The other son is 15-years-old.
They say they would both have to drop out of school to care for her to try to preserve her life if their dad were deported. They say they don’t have the ability to financially support themselves and her health needs without their dad.
