U.S. deporting Immigrant Christian pastors
Pastor Dale Morgan
U.S. deporting Immigrant Christian pastors*
Immigration rejects requests to stay when church leaders' visas expire
Posted: June 23, 2008
By Chelsea Schilling
U.S. immigration authorities have stepped up deportations, but rather
than pursue illegal aliens, they have chosen to evict America's church
ministers from the country instead.
Honesty could cost Christian pastor Keith Thomas his citizenship because
he cooperated with immigration officials, disclosing two minor marijuana
convictions he incurred when he was a young man in England 33 years ago.
Thomas, 53, is working without pay, fearing deportation from the U.S.
and separation from his family. He was denied a green card based on
convictions that were overturned by an English court in 1982. Thomas
told WND he has documentation to prove his clean record and that he has
always been truthful with officials, but he doesn't understand why
people who enter the country illegally are allowed to stay when he is
facing the citizenship battle of his life.
"They've let 12 million illegals into the country, yet somebody has been
doing some good, paying taxes, came in legally and has been married to
an American with two American kids, and they're going to kick him out?"
Thomas asked. "I told the truth. Nobody called me out on my past. If I
had not even owned up to my record, the government would not have been
able to find any of it."
Immigration troubles
Thomas said his first conviction happened while he was working on a
cruise liner in 1971 when he was only 17. He was charged with being
knowingly concerned in the importation of marijuana after his cabin mate
brought it into the country. Thomas said the second incident took place
in 1975 when he was 21. Authorities charged him with allowing his
premises to be used for the smoking of cannabis when a tenant in his
home told authorities Thomas gave him permission to use drugs on the
property, though he did not live in the house at the time.
"I came in on a five-year work visa, and I told them about my
convictions," he said. "I was very honest and forthright with them all
the way from the very beginning."
Thomas said he first sought citizenship in 1981 after marrying his
American wife, but his request was denied.
"I was kicked out," he said. "I was told I had to leave, otherwise I'd
be deported. So, I left."
Pastoring in the U.S.
Thomas became a Christian and served as a senior pastor in England for
several years. His wife became homesick in 1990, and he decided to apply
for U.S. citizenship again. The second time, Thomas received a pastor's
religious work visa that lasted five years. He accepted a position as a
pastor at the 8,000-member Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He received a paycheck while his work visa was active, but when it came
time for the pastor to apply for a residency visa, also known as a green
card, immigration authorities denied his application based on Thomas'
disclosure of overturned marijuana convictions in England.
Thomas has asked for an appeal before an immigration judge to plead his
case on several occasions, but his requests have fallen on deaf ears
since September 2006.
"Finally, after much hassling of congressmen and people saying they'll
talk to somebody, I get the notice to appear in December 2007," Thomas
said. "The place where it says 'date' and 'time' said 'yet to be fixed.'"
Thomas said he cannot understand why immigration authorities will not
set a date for him to appear before an immigration judge, though he
speculates it could be a form of religious discrimination against people
in the Christian ministry.
"Have you ever been told the government is going to take you to court,
and then not give you a court date?" he asked. "It's ludicrous. I just
can't believe I am going through this."
Family separation anxiety
Thomas' daughter, Anna, married in May.
Meanwhile, his family lives in a state of flux, constantly wondering if
Thomas will be deported.
"It is unbelievable because we're living day in and day out wondering if
we are going to be here next month," he said. "Of course, there's always
the threat that they could put me in jail. It's just been heartbreaking
for us for years now, and I am still being penalized for a mistake I
made when I was just a kid."
Thomas said it looks as if the convictions may be held against him for
the rest of his life.
"They said my wife and kids can stay here and that it's just me," he
said. "I love my wife and kids. The most heartbreaking thing of all is
thinking that I may be on another continent where I can't see my grandkids."
The pastor said he would rather face incarceration than allow his wife
and kids to continue worrying about what will happen to their family. He
is pleading with authorities to make a fair decision on his future.
"Look, if you think I am such a bad character, stick me in prison for a
year or two years," he said. "I'd much rather go to prison for a couple
of years than have this kind of stress on my family, not knowing where
we are going to live the rest of our days."
U.S. deportation of religious leaders
Immigration authorities have also marked a Catholic priest for
deportation to Ireland on July 1 after documentation errors left the
58-year-old missionary without paperwork he needed to remain in De Smet,
S.D.
Cathal Gallagher arrived in South Dakota from Ireland 10 years ago and
has since become a respected figure in his community. Now the state's
top elected officials and parishioners are pleading with immigration
authorities to reopen his case and allow him to remain in the country,
the Argus Leader reported.
Cathal Gallagher
"I wouldn't want to stay in this country if you haven't blessed me with
the right to be in this country," Gallagher told his home church in De
Smet. "I won't be here as an illegal."
Gallagher served the church for 22 years in Japan before he was a
granted a religious visa in 1996 to work with alcohol addicts in
Rochester, Minn. He was later invited to work with churches in South Dakota.
"I thought I was going to go back to Japan ... but then I fell in love
with De Smet," he said. "It's a very simple way of life, a place where
people are important. I never expected to find that in the United States."
Following his application for residency in 2001, Gallagher was informed
in 2003 that he would receive his green card. However, it was later
denied in February 2006. Lawyers hired by the Catholic Church spent two
years fighting to have the decision reversed, but their efforts have
been without success.