July 8, 2005
Washington DC
In July of last year, ADC intervened on behalf of two Iranian brothers and successfully worked with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to secure an extension of their stay for the medical treatment of the younger brother (for more information see: https://www.adc.org/index.php?id=2261).
Unfortunately, the medical status of the young man did not substantially improve during the past year. This fact required him to stay in the United States for further treatment available to him only in the US. Without another extension of stay, the brothers would be deported despite the young man’s serious medical condition.
The brothers contacted ADC on June 20, 2005 for assistance. ADC requested ICE to treat this as a humanitarian matter and again exercise prosecutorial discretion in allowing the brothers to stay for at least another year. On July 2, ICE informed ADC that the request was granted and that it issued administrative stays of removal for both brothers.
ADC received the following email from the Iranian gentleman:
Thank you. I don’t think there is a way for me to express my gratitude for what you did for us. Once again, your kindhearted assistance has made a difference in our life. I wish you success in all of your efforts for the community. You have and always will remain in my and my family’s prayers. I thank god for this and I am sure that god will reward you and your family for all of your kind attention.
BACKGROUND:
The younger brother is a 21-year-old Iranian citizen who was granted permission by the Iranian government to travel to the US for diagnosis and treatment of deteriorating bone and eye conditions. The brothers and their mother have applied for permanent residency through the Life Act (a family reunification program), however due to a backlog in the system, their application is still pending.
The brothers originally had gone to the Immigration office in Maryland to voluntarily comply with the “special call-in registration” program. Consequently, they were put in deportation proceedings in 2004. The brothers were ordered to leave the country by July 10, 2004.
On June 17, 2004, ADC raised a humanitarian appeal to ICE headquarters in Washington, DC. ICE contacted ADC on June 21, 2004 stating that ADC’s request was sent for review to the ICE Field Operations Center in Maryland. On July 1, 2004, ICE informed ADC it issued administrative stays of removal for both of the brothers.
However, their removal of stay was set to expire on July 2, 2005, putting them in line for deportation, despite the fact that the younger brother’s bone and eye conditions were still serious, requiring further intensive treatment available only in the United States. The younger brother’s eye condition was not treatable by corneal transplant as initially thought and instead would require groundbreaking drug implant surgery at the National Eye Institute. Because of his eye condition, he would not be able to travel in fear that he would agitate or inflame his bone disorders.