Uwe Romeike and his wife Hannelore seek political asylum in the U.S.  They claim they have been persecuted for their Christian beliefs which require homeschooling their children in Germany, where school attendance is compulsory.  When the Romeikes did not comply with repeated orders to send the children to school, police came to their home and forcefully took the children to school.  In January 2010, an immigration judge in Memphis, Tennessee granted the Romeikes political asylum.  Just a few weeks later,  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement formally appealed this ruling. The case is currently pending in the Sixth Circuit court.  

Should the U.S. grant asylum to Uwe and Hannelore Romeike of Germany so they can homeschool their children?  When are restrictions on religious liberty in a foreign country grounds for asylum in the United States?  Join us on November 30th for this exciting debate which wrestles both family and public interests in the education of children and this matter of religious "persecution" and asylum law.

IN FAVOR
Luke Goodrich is legal counsel for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which has submitted an amicus brief supporting the Romeike’s asylum claim.

OPPOSED
David Abraham is a professor of  immigration and citizenship law at the University of Miami School of Law.

MODERATOR
Sarah Brenes is an attorney with Advocates for Human Rights and a former Fellow with the St. Thomas School of Law Immigration Clinic.

This program is part of the Journal of Law and Public Policy’s fall symposium which focuses this year on legal issues surrounding homeschooling. Click here to see the entire symposium schedule.