UPDATE: In a surprising turn of events, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) announced this afternoon that the Romeike family will now be allowed to stay in America. A post on the HSLDA’s Facebook wall signed by the organization’s chairman explains the change:
Today, a Supervisor with the Department of Homeland Security called a member of our legal team to inform us that the Romeike family has been granted “indefinite deferred status”. This means that the Romeikes can stay in the United States permanently (unless they are convicted of a crime, etc.)
This is an incredible victory that can only be credited to our Almighty God.
We also want to thank those of who spoke up on this issue–including that long ago White House petition. We believe that the public outcry made this possible while God delivered the victory.
This is an amazing turnaround in 24 hours. Praise the Lord.
Proverbs 21: 1 “The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord, He guides it wherever He pleases.”
~~Michael Farris [Emphasis added]
This is a developing story. TheBlaze will be posting updates as they become available. Check out TheBlaze report HERE. Michael Farris of the Home School Legal Defense Association will be joining Glenn on Tuesday's Glenn Beck Program to discuss the latest developments in the case. Don't miss the Glenn Beck Program, Tuesday at 5pm ET only on TheBlaze. Not a subscriber? Start your 14-day free trial HERE.
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Original story below:
Last year, Glenn shared the plight of the Romeike family, who were seeking asylum in the United States because their home country (Germany) does not allow homeschooling. The family moved to the U.S. in 2008 after facing fines and threats for refusing to send their children to a state-approved German school. The Romeikes believe Germany’s law violates international human rights standards. But the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected that claim last year under the guise that U.S. law does not grant asylum to “every victim of unfair treatment.” Yesterday, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Uwe and Hannelore Romeike, and the family now fears that if they go back to Germany and continue to home school, the state will take custody of the children.
“Can we go back to the Romeiki family here for a second? This is one of the worst stories I have heard yet from us,” Glenn said on radio this morning. “The Romeikis came here in 2008 seeking political asylum from Germany. You can't home school your kid. They wanted to because it is a total godless society over in Germany, and they believe deeply in God. So they came here to raise their kids in accordance with their Christian beliefs. They were initially given asylum here, and then the Administration told these pilgrims, ‘You have to go home.’”
The reasoning of the Department of Justice and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals proves this case is about much more than the rights of the Romeike family. It is about the rights of parents and families to educate their children the way they see fit.
“Well, the justice Department went after them, went after them hard, said we are going to ship you back because you don't have a right to home school your children – that is not a universal right,” Glenn said. “I warned you, this is not about the Romeike family. This is about your family and your right. If this family does not have a right to be able to home school their kids, neither do you.”
In a recent op-ed for the New Republic, Obamacare architect Ezekiel Emanuel admitted “insurance companies as we know them are about to die.” And Glenn sees home schooling facing a similar fate.
“What are they doing right now to the insurance companies? They are collapsing the insurance companies… Some would say it is a Trojan horse, but it's not. It is just right there,” Glenn said. “So now some would say this is a Trojan horse on homeschooling. But it's not. It is just right there.”
“There's no reason to take on this family… There's no reason to treat people the way they have treated people on Common Core,” he concluded. “There is going to come a time when you are not going to be able to get your kids out of school. There will come a time when you are not going to be able to home school your kids… The Romeike family is just the beginning of it.”
