Homeland Security hurts families
Thu Mar 22, 2007 at 07:53:18 AM PDT
I am quite anxious about writing this, because I am not a political writer. I'm a mom, with some training in writing, who knows a family that is being torn apart by the Homeland Security Department.
Let me tell you about the Kambos. They are a family who live two streets over in our neighborhood. Sam and Hanaan Kambo came to the U.S. more than ten years ago from their war torn homeland of Sierra Leone. Sam came through a UN scholarship program and received bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Texas in Austin. He came to the U.S. with the government's approval and blessing, and he's lived here peacefully ever since. He and Hanaan have had four children born in the U.S. They attend school events, encourage their children's education, and live out their American dream.
Before coming to the U.S., Sam was involved in an overthrow of the government in Sierra Leone. I think most are aware of the terrible conditions and war in that country. Sam was an idealistic young man who tried to find a better way for his country. When he became disillusioned in the aftermath of the coup, he resigned from his position and came to the U.S. for a better life, for himself and his future children.
For years, he has lived peacefully in the U.S., with first a diplomatic visa, then a student visa and finally with a work visa. He is employed in Austin and is respected at both his work and in the community where he lives and his children attend school. He has done everything by the book as far as his immigration status is concerned.
Last October, Sam and Hanaan were asked to come to the immigration office in San Antonio for an interview. They believed they would finally learn if they could become permanent U.S. residents, as was their desire. Instead, Sam was detained and has been ever since. The reasons, apparently, are the coup he participated in years ago in Sierra Leone -- the one the government knew about when they allowed him to come to the U.S., study, get a job and raise a family of four children who have never lived outside the U.S. and are, in fact, U.S. citizens.
Twice, bail has been ordered for Sam [by the immigration judge and the appeals board] and twice the governement has blocked bail. The Department of Homeland Security says he was involved in the NPRC [which he has never denied] and that they committed atrocities. There is no accusation that Sam personally committed any of these acts. All indications are that Homeland Security is blocking Sam's bail.
I know the Kambos. They are a lovely family. Their twin girls are in school with our twins and have been since kindergarten [they are 4th graders now]. They live two streets away from us; Sam walked his dog down our street. I have been in their home. We've attended school plays together, birthday parties together, and worked side by side at school carnivals and cultural fairs.
This man is no more of a threat to our community than I am. This family has been without a breadwinner since October. They can visit Sam twice a month and only get to see him through a glass barrier. Their lives may be at risk if they are sent back to Sierra Leone. They are scraping by with the help of donations from Sam's employer and the schools that their children attend [their oldest is in middle school; the twins are in elementary with my kids and their youngest is four.]
I don't know what anyone can do to help them, but I have to share their story. Here's the article from the Austin paper.
http://www.statesman.com/...
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