12/7/2011 Indonesia (JakartaGlobe) - Two years ago, a community of Indonesians in central New Jersey was spared deportation after a Protestant pastor brokered an unusual agreement with immigration authorities that allowed them to stay in the country temporarily. The agreement was clear: The Indonesians would be able to stay and work, but the permission could be rescinded at any moment.
The 72 Indonesians and their supporters, led by the Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, had appealed for the arrangement in the hope that with extra time, they would be able to figure out a way to secure permanent legal status, either though the courts or with the passage of immigration reform legislation in Washington.
Immigrant advocates had hoped the deal signaled a broader use of humanitarian release for illegal immigrants without criminal records and with deep ties to the community.
Now, though, the reprieve for the Indonesians is ending.
In recent weeks, most of the Indonesians, many of whom fled persecution of Christians in Indonesia years ago, have received letters from the Department of Homeland Security ordering them to appear at the agency’s Newark office, a one-way ticket to Indonesia in hand.
Their advocates have leapt into action, appealing to immigration officials for continued lenience and lobbying members of the state’s Legislature and Congressional delegation to intervene.
On Wednesday, Representatives Carolyn B. Maloney of New York and Frank Pallone Jr. of New Jersey, both Democrats, plan to submit a bill that would provide relief to many of the Indonesians. The bill would allow certain Indonesians who fled persecution in their homeland between 1997 and 2002 to resubmit asylum claims that had been denied because they missed a one-year filing deadline.
“It feels so un-American to not make room to keep families together, especially when folks came out of a time and place where there was tremendous violence,” Mr. Kaper-Dale said in a telephone interview on Tuesday as he led a 24-hour vigil and fast at his parish, the Reformed Church of Highland Park, N.J., in support of the Indonesians.
The advocates said the decision to end the so-called orders of supervision was surprising in light of recent assurances by the Obama administration that it would focus its enforcement strategy on illegal immigrants with criminal records, while sparing those with strong ties to the community and no criminal record.
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On Tuesday, however, 12 of the Indonesians, responding to an immigration agency order, appeared at the Newark office. They ignored demands that they bring plane tickets, Mr. Kaper-Dale said. Agency officials told them to return later this month and added that the agency would issue them plane tickets, the pastor said.
Among them was Grace Laloan, 42, who arrived in the United States in 2002 with her husband. She said the couple, both Christians of Chinese descent, had fled religious and ethnic persecution by the Muslim majority. They have an American-born daughter, now 7, and work in factories, Ms. Laloan said.
Officials told her they would inform her of her fate on Dec. 21. “I don’t know, maybe they’re going to send me back,” Ms. Laloan said. “It feels bad because I want to stay here.”
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