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High security surrounded Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield last month for a visit from Vice President Mike Pence who was in town to cam­paign for U.S. Senate candidate John James. Nearly 200 people attended the fundraiser and about 12 people attended a private meeting prior to the luncheon.

The event was organized by Tony Antone. Bishop Francis and Martin Manna from Chaldean Chamber of Commerce and Chaldean Com­munity Foundation were among the select group. “We are deeply grateful for Vice President Pence’s efforts to aid the persecuted minorities in the Nineveh Plains area of Iraq,” said Manna. “Specifically providing di­rect aid to help rebuild and restore our villages post ISIS. The Vice Pres­ident has met with our Bishop Lead­ers from Iraq, including Archbishop Bashar Warda from Erbil. We are hopeful aid will arrive soon.”

Manna, through the Chaldean Community Foundation, followed up with the Vice President by shar­ing data, statistic and other infor­mation about the Chaldean Com­munity in Iraq as well as in the United States. This included the status of refugees coming in follow­ing the ISIS invasion.

There has been a dramatic de­crease in the number of refugee vi­sas being granted for the Chaldean, Syriac, and Assyrian people of Iraq, which were issued in far greater num­bers prior to 2014. Through docu­mentation, Manna was able to share compelling data and testimonials from witnesses and other experts that attest to a policy by the United Na­tions of open discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in the Middle East in the refugee visa ad­ministrative process.

“The disparity of refugee visas between various ethnic and religious groups and mainly minorities, is an inexplicable as it is an outrageous injustice and discriminatory,” said Manna. “While the previous admin­istration has issued a genocide decla­ration for the atrocities ISIS commit­ted against Christians, Yazidis, Shia and other ethno-religious minorities, the number of visas is not propor­tionate to the number of individuals and families who suffer or have been purged by ISIS.”

President Trump did state the ad­ministration would prioritize Chris­tians in 2017, but the item was later struck down. “The administration should request to prioritize ethnic and religious minorities that have been victims of genocide,” stated Manna in the documents to the Vice President.

Currently there are many Chris­tian Iraqis at risk of begin deported. On June 11, 2017, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began arresting and detaining a large number of nationals – mostly Chaldeans – in preparation for de­portation. In July of last year, the District Court of the Eastern Dis­trict of Michigan issued a prelimi­nary injunction barring the govern­ment from executing removal orders against petitioners.

Manna also noted to the Vice President that during a visit to Michigan, President Donald Trump met with Congressional Member’s John Moolenar, Jack Bergman and Paul Mitchell and was briefed about Chaldeans at-risk of deportations. “President Trump stated his willing­ness to find a solution,” said Manna, “which can be confirmed by the Members of Congress.”

The meeting and follow up documentations were designed to further educate this current admin­istration on Chaldeans in America and around the globe. “We will continue with this dialogue,” said Manna. “It is important that all of our elected leaders from the Presi­dent on down understand our com­munity, our needs and how we have contributed to the fabric of this country.”

Vice President Pence did ac­knowledge the issues and asked that his staff immediately follow-up on the issues.