Congressman Andy Levin (MI-09) and Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence (MI-14) tomorrow evening will join the family of Jimmy Aldaoud, a Michigan Chaldean man who was deported to Iraq in June and died on August 6th of a diabetic crisis, for a vigil honoring his life and memory at the Chaldean Community Foundation in Sterling Heights.
Mr. Aldaoud, who had never been to Iraq and spoke no Arabic, was deported there with no permanent Iraqi identification, no money nor a sufficient supply of insulin. Mr. Aldaoud lived with chronic physical and mental health conditions including diabetes and paranoid schizophrenia. As an Americanized Chaldean Christian in a country where religious minorities are persecuted, Mr. Aldaoud already faced extreme risks to his health and safety in Iraq. However, deporting a diabetic man to a country where he would not have reliable access to insulin made it almost certain that he would not survive. The death of Jimmy Aldaoud was a direct, predictable and preventable result of his deportation.
This week, Congressman Levin led a letter to President Trump signed by Congresswoman Lawrence and 39 other House Democrats demanding an end to the deportation of Iraqi nationals to Iraq.
Tomorrow, the Chaldean community and mourners will come together to honor Jimmy’s life and demand that death by deportation never happens again.
WHO: Congressman Andy Levin
Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence
Family of the late Jimmy Aldaoud
Families of other individuals deported to Iraq
Chaldean community members and mourners
WHAT: Vigil and call for halt in deportations to Iraq
WHEN: Thursday, August 15, 2019 at 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Chaldean Community Foundation
3601 15 Mile Rd, Sterling Heights, MI 48310
RSVP: Contact Austin Laufersweiler by email at Austin.Laufersweiler@mail.house.gov or by phone at 678-575-1030.
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