Humanitarian plea / Iranian American Republican Council:
A child With Profound Disabilities Who May NEVER See His Family Again

Ali Aleaziz is a 13 year old boy who is a US citizen born in Oregon to Iranian Nationals (Farzad and Roya Aleaziz). The Immigration and Naturalization Service is trying to force Ali's parents to leave the country and abandon Ali in the United States. They are unable to take Ali with them due to his chronic and serious medical condition. Ali is a quadriplegic, has epilepsy and suffers from cerebral palsey and profound mental retardation. (see report in The Oregonian).

Ali lives at the Children's Nursing Center at Providence Child Center in Portland, Oregon, a pediatric skilled nursing facility, because at this time his family cannot manage his multiple disabilities and fragile health condition at home.

Farzad Aleaziz has received his PHD in Fisheries Management. His student visa expired on April 1998. He, his wife and two other American-born children must return to Iran..... leaving their cherished eldest son, Ali behind.  Ali is not capable of making the long trip back.

Farzad has requested that the INS recognize the unusal circumstances and hardship of leaving Ali here or taking him to Iran, where Ali cannot get the medical care he needs.  Mr. Aleaziz is not asking for a final determination, just simply an opportunity to prove to an Immigration Judge that he meets all criteria for remaining in this country and changing his status to a resident alien.

In order to go before a judge, the INS would have to place Mr. Aleaziz in removal proceedings.  They have refused to do this because he does not fit into their priorities of alien smugglers, criminal aliens, and employers who hire illegal aliens.

Even though Mr. Aleaziz is of good moral character and does not have a criminal record, he does not have a right to plead his case unless the INS puts him in proceedings.  Also, as long as he is not in proceedings, he cannot get authorization to work.  As a result, he is currently unemployed and having to provide for a family of five from donations fom friends.

Can you do something to help Ali and his family stay together?

Yes!!!

We have contacted the appropriate Senators as well as hired Naveed Shomloo an immigration attorney in Oregon to take on their case, and he has agreed to defend them for a reduced flat fee which we have guaranteed. Howevere, this family needs money to pay some of their basic living expenses. We are asking our fellow Iranians to help. If two hundred people send in checks for $20 each, this family would be able to stay near their son for at least another 2.5 to 3 months!  "Savab" is what we all need to think about. Please make a donation to a fund set up and managed by Providence Hospital. Here is the information:

The Aleaziz Family Legal Defense Fund
US Bank, Hollywood Branch
1901 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland, OR  97213

You can also write a letter to President Clinton.  There have been instances in the past where the President has intervened and such cases have been resolved. See sample letter below.  You can e-mail it to the Whitehouse

//www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_President.html

Or mail it to: Bill Clinton
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC  20500

If you have any questions, you can call us toll free at (888)330-IARC.

God bless,

Goli Ameri
Iranian-American Republican Council

SAMPLE LETTER

Bill Clinton
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Clinton,

Ali is a thirteen-year-old quadriplegic American boy who cannot talk, walk, eat or move on his own volition. He lives at the Childrenís Nursing Center at Providence Child Center, a pediatric skilled nursing facility, in Portland, Oregon.

The only time Ali smiles is when his parents and two younger brothers walk in through the door. Aliís parents cared for their son in their small apartment for eleven years, until two years ago when his deteriorating health conditions called for expert help.

Yet the Immigration and Naturalization Service wants to send away Aliís parents, Farzad and Roya Aleaziz, this sick boyís only source of joy. Farzad Aleazizís student visa expired on April 1, 1998. The INS has rejected the plea to place his case in deportation proceedings, the only means through which he can articulate his need to be a part of his childís life before a judge.

Because of Aliís health conditions, he is unable to make the journey to Iran. It would endanger his life. It would also endanger his life to be left in this country and stripped of the care, love and affection of his family. This is an outrage and an embarrassment to the humanitarian ideals of our country. The INS is founded on family values, and ignoring the special circumstances of the Aleaziz family is a contradiction of our core beliefs. I plead with you as a parent to intervene in this case and allow this family to stay together. I thank you in advance for your generosity.

Respectfully,

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS

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