Contact: Doug Gordon

Washington, Feb 6, 2004 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), today, sent the following letter today to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge calling for the release of Amina Silmi from a government detention center:

Dear Governor Ridge:

This is a follow-up to my letter of December 31, 2003, on behalf of Amina Silmi, a resident of Lakewood, in Ohio’s 10th Congressional District.

Ms. Silmi was scheduled for deportation on January 6, 2004. Through the good graces of your office, a district level review was conducted, precluding her removal on January 6. Instead, Ms. Silmi was asked to sign an Order of Supervision, which set forth the requirements that she report to your agency every two weeks and that she agree to a voluntary departure within 30 days.

Fully compliant with the terms of the Order, Ms. Silmi reported as required and turned herself in for voluntary departure on February 4, 2004, at which time she was deported. However, before she left the United States, the Board of Immigration Appeals granted a stay on her removal pending the outcome of her appeal. She is currently being held in detention.

I respectfully request that Ms. Silmi be released from detention pending the outcome of her appeal. She has 3 young children who are U.S. citizens who need their mother. Releasing Ms. Silmi will have no impact on the outcome of her appeal, but will have a tremendous positive impact on her family. Your agency has the discretion to release Ms. Silmi from detention and I ask that you do so right away for the good of her children. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter to my constituent.

“Ms. Silmi belongs with her family not in jail,” stated Kucinich after sending the letter. “I urge Secretary Ridge to allow this family to reunite and allow Ms. Silmi to return to our area while her appeal is pending. I eagerly await Mr. Ridge’s response.”