To the Honorable Mitch McConnell

Majority Leader, US Senate

Senator for Kentucky

We, members Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in the United States hereby are signing this petition in support of Liqe Kahnat Ayalneh A. Haile. “Liqe Kahnat” translated as “Head of the Clergy”, is at title given to Ayalneh A. Haile by a Bishop based on his dedication and service to the church. Currently, Liqe Kahnat A. Haile is a head priest at Debre Hayl St. Gabriel Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Parish in Louisville Kentucky.

St Gabriel parish is the only place to have a Holy Water service in the church compound outside Ethiopia. Holy Water service is a biblical tradition rendered to the believers of the church for centuries. Holy Water is administered to heal people from physical and spiritual sicknesses. Liqe Kahnat Ayalneh A. Haile has been carrying out this service at the parish for more than four years now. Because of this Holy Water service, St. Gabriel Parish is well known not only the members of the church in the US and Canada, but also among the believers all over the globe. People from all walks of life are getting healed from mental and physical problems through the Holy Water service. Consequently, the NBC affiliate, Wave3 TV station, did a piece about the Holy Water service which was aired on September 24, 2018. Thousands of believers are flocking to Louisville Kentucky from Canada, Europe and from all States in the US throughout the year to participate in the Holy Water service at St. Gabriel Ethiopian Orthodox church.

Liqe Kahnat is well known among the believers of the church because of his hard work, meekness, and compassion. He has great influence on good deeds and spiritual regeneration of our society in the US. Nevertheless, because of minor procedural errors in applying for his asylum, Liqe Kahnat Ayalneh A. Haile is still waiting for a hearing and subsequent decision from USCIS. As a result of a very prolonged wait without a decision on his case, Liqe Kahnat Ayalneh A. Haile is forced to live separated from his family for over eight years.

In conclusion, we, the members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church living in the United States of America hereby sign this petition and request your respected office to ask on our behalf that USCIS would expedite the decision on his asylum application and grant him the permanent residence status which we strongly believe he deserves to get.