The Mathe family: fighting deportation to South Africa
(from Dreamactivist.org) The Mathe family has been living in Atlanta, Georgia since their arrival to the United States. The father left Rwanda after the genocide to settle in South Africa as a political refugee. The father and mother, Hope, married and the family began to build their life together. Soon after, the family began to receive several death threats and narrowly avoided the kidnapping of their daughter, who was 3 years old at the time, from daycare.
In 2007, the father went into hiding to protect his family as they fled South Africa in hopes of seeking political asylum in the United States. Upon their arrival in Atlanta, Georgia, the family made the request for asylum. Despite the evidence, the mother and older brother were immediately handcuffed, arrested, and taken to a detention center. They were released after 6 months and the family has been attempting to seek asylum ever since.
Malcolm, one of their children, attended Whitefield Academy where he was a bright student. In 2008, he was chosen to represent his high school at a National Youth Leadership Forum in Washington, DC. At the forum, he was awarded a certificate of achievement. He graduated from high school in May 2011 and has been accepted to Full Sail University to study Sound Engineering and Communications. Andy, the oldest son, attended the Art Institute of Atlanta where he received several awards and recognition for his work in interior design.
Malcolm would qualify for the DREAM Act, a narrowly tailored bill that majorities in both the House and the Senate voted to support this past December. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and President Obama have both stated that deporting DREAM-eligible youth is not a priority. I ask that you immediately take action to stop Malcolm and his family’s deportation so they can continue to contribute to their community.
If deported, the Mathe family will be returned to a country they fled fearing for their lives. Without intervention, the Mathes are afraid of being returned to their deaths. The family is asking for the opportunity to live safely in the United States; a country they consider their home. Please take action to stop their deportation. Sign the petition to stop their deportation!
