Title
Resolution Opposing the Deportation of Kamiran Taymour and all Iraqi Christians Arrested in Recent ICE Raids
Body
Whereas, On Sunday June 11th, more than 100 Iraqi Christians were arrested by ICE in raids in the metro Detroit area;
Whereas, Ann Arbor resident Kamiran Taymour-husband of US citizen Caroline Taymour, father of three US citizen children in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and business owner-was one of those arrested that day;
Whereas, Prior to the Trump administration, these Iraqi Christian refugees were theoretically eligible for deportation but were allowed to remain in the US as long as they checked in regularly with immigration officials;
Whereas, Many of those arrested have only minor criminal charges on their records. All of those arrested have already gone through the process of answering for their criminal charges through the US legal system;
Whereas, Being deported to Iraq would likely be a death sentence for those arrested because they are part of a persecuted religious minority in Iraq;
Whereas, Facing a death sentence via deportation is a disproportionate and unjust consequence for having a criminal record;
Whereas, In his decision to issue a stay on the deportations, Judge Mark A. Goldsmith wrote, “Irreparable harm is made out by the significant chance of loss of life and lesser forms of persecution…Such harm far outweighs any conceivable interest the Government might have in the immediate enforcement of the removal orders;”
Whereas, It is a violation of United States and international law and treaties to send people to a country where they are likely to be violently persecuted;
Whereas, Ann Arbor resident Kamiran Taymour is one of those facing deportation to Iraq. He would face persecution as a Christian, as a Kurd, as an American, and because two of his sisters translated for the US military; and
Whereas, Many of these Iraqi Christians have appealed to Governor Rick Snyder to pardon their crimes;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council calls on ICE to use their discretion to allow Iraqi Christians to remain in the US and not seek to deport them to Iraq where they may be persecuted and killed;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council calls on Governor Snyder to pardon the crimes of these Iraqi Christians so that they are no longer a priority for deportation;
RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council calls on the government of Iraq to refuse to accept these Iraqi Christians back; and
RESOLVED , That the Ann Arbor City Council will send copies of this resolution to the Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press, MLive, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Governor Rick Snyder, the Detroit ICE field office, immigration Judges Mark Jebson, Jennifer Gorland, and David H. Paruch, and make copies available to the legal counsel of those fighting their deportation.
Sponsored by: Councilmembers Eaton and Kailasapathy