The petition
The Vang family - Guy, Genevieve, Caroline and Melanie - have lived in the United States for 18 years.
They came to America legally in 1989.
They came to reunite with family members they had been separated from because of the war in Laos and Vietnam.
They have lived and worked legally in the U.S. since 1989 and today own a successful restaurant, Bangkok 96, in Dearborn, MI.
They have added 2 U.S. citizen children to their family.
Due to errors on the part of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Vang family was forced to wait 10 years to hear back about their asylum case.
Now the USCIS plans to deport them in less than 3 months! Read on to find out how you can help!
Keep the Vang Family Here!
Q: Who are Guy and Genevieve Vang?
Guy and Genevieve Vang are contributing members of society, and parents of four: Caroline, 23, attending Macomb Community and Walsh College; Melanie, 18, freshmen of Northwood University; Steven, 16, senior of Warren Woods Tower high school; and Christine, 11. In 1989, Guy and Genevieve and their two eldest daughters arrived in the United States from France to reunite with Guy's family who were believed to have been killed by Lao communists in the midst of the Vietnam War. In 1996, the Vang family opened Bangkok 96 restaurant in Dearborn, MI. Like regular citizens, they pay taxes and help their community through charitable contributions.
Q: What is their case about?
Recently on May 31, 2007, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the family's case to remain in the United States. In less than three months, the government will deport Guy and his family back to France, after they have made a life in America for 18 years. They came here on the Visa Waiver Pilot Program, which threw away their rights to contest in court should they ever want to stay in the U.S. However, Guy was eligible for political asylum under the Visa Waiver. Since Guy's parents immigrated to the U.S. through asylum/refugee status, he decided to apply for asylum at INS, to seek the opportunity to stay closer to his parents whom he had lost as a child during the war. Unfortunately, the Vangs were forced to wait 10 years to get a response that they did not qualify for asylum (in 2000). Even then, the government continued to renew their work authorizations and allowed them to build their lives in the U.S. Now, 18 years later, this family is being punished and forced out of the only country they consider home. The two youngest Vang children are U.S. citizens.
Q: How can I help?
Their last hope is a private bill that one of the senators can create to stop their deportation, which is scheduled near August of 2007!!! This important bill would have to go through the Senate and House of Representatives.
The family desperately needs for everyone to contact Michigan lawmakers U.S. Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, and U.S. Representatives Sander Levin and John Dingell. The more lawmakers contacted the better! Voice your concerns about the injustice of the family's impending deportation by signing this petition which will be delivered to Congressmembers.
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