Sheila Jackson Lee statement on the Kesbeh family : Houston Indymedia

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Jackson Lee reflects on the misfortune of the Kesbeh family. She says, "the Kesbehs are a very special Palestinian family that made a home for themselves in Houston, Texas."

Mr. Sharif Kesbeh fled persecution in Jordan in 1981, to live in Saudi Arabia where he married his wife, Asmaa, and started a family. They remained in Saudi Arabia until the end of the Gulf War when they experienced persecution in that country too. Congresswoman Jackson Lee observes that, "the Kesbehs entered legally and have been law abiding, productive members of society in Houston where they earned a living for themselves and their 7 children with a flag store. Their immigration problems are due only to the fact that they overstayed their nonimmigrant visas."

The family sought asylum in deportation proceedings. "A sympathetic Immigration Judge found technical deficiencies in their case. He gave them a lengthy period for voluntary departure and expressed his hope that they would find another way to remain in the United States."

Congresswoman Jackson Lee introduced a private bill in January to grant permanent resident status to the Kesbehs, but the Republican majority would not investigate the mertist of the bill by requesting a report on the family from the immigration service. Now, "the Kesbeh parents, their 6 foreign-born children, and their 10-year-old U.S. citizen daughter will be deported to Jordan despite the volatile war in Iraq that could envelop much of the middle east in its fury."

The Congresswoman sought a senator who would introduce a bill for the Kesbehs in the Senate. Congresswoman Jackson Lee comments that, "not a single senator would intervene on behalf of this family. No one would show them mercy. The immigration service refused even a brief stay for medical reasons, which exhausted the family's last hope of remaining in the United States. It would have harmed no one to grant a brief stay. That act of kindness would not have weakened the laws that protect out country against dangerous aliens"

Congresswoman Jackson Lee went on to say, "We want the world to believe that the war in Iraq is against terrorism and brutal dictators, not the Arab people, but when we have a chance to show compassion to an unfortunate Arab family, we do not to it."

Congresswoman Jackson Lee wil fly back to Houtson this evening to join the Kesbeh family as they move toward departure, and she will continue to "hope and pray for them."