Amina Silmi deportation: No mercy

On her way out

Although she is originally from Venezuela, Amina Silmi has spent the last 13 years in the US, raising her children and working on her education. She left her husband – and her chance of obtaining residency – after suffering years of domestic abuse, not realizing that in post-9/11 America, illegal Arab immigrants are shown no mercy. Last week, Amina was deported to Venezuela, where she has no friends or family, after a long fight with the Department of Homeland Security to stay with her three US-born children. “I’m so depressed right now,” she said after spending her first night in Caracas in a park. “I don’t know when I’ll see my kids again. I can’t think. I can’t do anything.” Silmi’s supporters, including the Cleveland Muslim community and Representative Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), lobbied DHS Chief Tom Ridge, arguing that a “zealous interpretation” of immigration laws was breaking a family apart. Silmi’s life began to fall apart after her second husband was deported to Palestine after being convicted of trafficking in food stamps before their marriage, before her residency could be established through his green card. “A mother has a right to raise her children; an immigrant has a right to become a naturalized citizen – all these basic human rights are being called into question,” said supporter Rev. Werner Lange. While supporters regroup after the setback, Amina shifts from home to home, wondering what she’ll do next. Afraid of dragging her children into poverty, she chose to leave them in the US with her sister. “I don’t want to eat,” she said. “I don’t even want to live.”

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.