Blumenthal, Murphy, Esty Seek Stay of Deportation for Kris and Tony Huang

(Hartford, CT) – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) released a letter today urging Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Field Office Director Thomas Brophy to stay the deportation of Farmington parents Kris and Tony Huang.

ICE has ordered both parents deported to China on February 16. Their two U.S. citizen sons, ages 5 and 15, speak only English. The couple owns Deco Nails in Simsbury, owns their home in Farmington, and have been living and paying taxes in the United States for 20 years.

“If the Huangs are deported to China, they believe they would face significant dangers and restrictions.  The Huang are members of a Christian faith and fear they would not be allowed to practice their religion should they be forced to return to China.  Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Huang are both ethnically Korean and are concerned that, upon returning to China, they may face deportation to North Korea, where their ancestors lived. We are told that the family also fears the Chinese government may revoke their citizenship and consider them dissidents because they have lived abroad for so many years,” the letter states.

Full text of the letter is copied below.

February 12, 2018

Mr. Thomas Brophy

Acting Field Office Director

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Boston Field Office

1000 District Avenue

Burlington, MA 01803-5229

RE:     Li, Xiang Jin; DOB: February 7, 1975;

Huang, Zhe Long; DOB: November 8, 1970

Dear Mr. Brophy,

We are writing on behalf of Mrs. Xiang Jin Li and Mr. Zhe Long Huang, of Farmington, Connecticut. We have been told that their attorney, Erin O’Neil-Baker, submitted a request for a reconsideration of their previously denied I-246 Application for Stay of Removal on February 9, 2018. We urge you to reconsider this denial given their lack of criminal record, support from the community, the potential threat to their family should they be forced to return to China, as well as the concern for their two United States citizen children, Andrew and Liam. 

Attorney O’Neil-Baker has submitted the request for a reconsideration of the Stay based on the many significant factors in this case.  It is our understanding that the Huangs have been in the United States for almost 20 years, have two U.S. citizen children, operate a local business, are well-respected within their community, and have no criminal history as confirmed by ICE. We are also told that a Motion to Reopen, filed on February 8, is currently pending with the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).

If the Huangs are deported to China, they believe they would face significant dangers and restrictions.  The Huang are members of a Christian faith and fear they would not be allowed to practice their religion should they be forced to return to China.  Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Huang are both ethnically Korean and are concerned that, upon returning to China, they may face deportation to North Korea, where their ancestors lived. We are told that the family also fears the Chinese government may revoke their citizenship and consider them dissidents because they have lived abroad for so many years.  According to Attorney O’Neil-Baker, the Chinese government has recently begun conducting a media campaign against the family, and Mr. Huang has received death threats. This family has the backing of their community as demonstrated by the large outpouring of support and does not appear to be a threat to the integrity of our immigration system.

Our offices join together to request a reconsideration of the denial of the Stay of Removal Application, consistent with applicable laws, rules, and regulations in order to allow for the adjudication of the pending motions and applications. If you have any questions regarding this request, or would like to discuss the matter further, please contact Rebecca Crosswaith in Senator Blumenthal’s office at (860) 258-6940, Lauren MacPhail in Senator Murphy’s office at (860) 549-8463 or Kayla Briere in Congresswoman Esty’s office at (860) 223-8412.  Thank you for your time and attention to our request.