Saturday, July 7, 2012

Senator Introduces Bill to Protect Indonesian Christians in U.S.

Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!!!! I pray that this bill gets passed so that my Indonesian Brethren in Christ can have a safe haven from persecution in their native homeland.

06/27/2012 United States (VOA) - A U.S. senator has introduced legislation that would allow Indonesian Christians living in the United States to apply for asylum on the grounds of religious persecution in their homeland.

The bill from Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey aims to help the hundreds of Indonesian Christians who came to the U.S. on tourist visas, mostly between the years of 1996 and 2003. Religious persecution intensified during that period, with more than 1,000 churches being destroyed by anti-Christian extremists.
The immigrants, who mostly settled in northeast U.S. states such as New Jersey, New York and New Hampshire, now face deportation after deadlines passed for them to seek asylum.
Senator Lautenberg tells VOA that his measure is intended to halt the deportation process long enough for the individuals to apply for asylum and have their cases considered.
“They have a lot to contribute. They're energetic people – we've seen it. They're working, they're part of the community. But they also happened to miss a deadline. And, that kind of a mishap should not prevent good people from being here.”

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