War Resister’s Family been deported to US.

Jeremy Hinzman, one of the US-Iraq war resisters was informed on 13th August that his application for staying in Canada has been rejected.

Jeremy Hinzman, one of the US-Iraq war resisters was informed on 13th August that his application for staying in Canada has been rejected. Hinzman was told that he was unable to qualify for Canada’s Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) program after a review was conducted by an officer of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Jeremy, his wife and his son Liam were the first among the Iraq war resisters to come to Canada to seek asylum. The couple’s second child was born in Toronto on 21st of July. If the family will be deported to the US then they would become the first family to face punishment in the US. Robin Long was also one of the US war resisters to be deported by the Canadian government on July 15. He is currently waiting for court martial at Front Colorado.

After applying for a conscientious objector status, Hinzman served a tour in Afghanistan in a non-combat role. At the time when his unit, the 82nd Airborne Division was been positioned to Iraq, Hinzman and his family decided not go abide by it and they moved to Canada.

Hinzman said that he applied for a Conscientious Objector Status in the US army because he knew that he will never be able to kill a fellow human being. But unfortunately, his application was rejected. Knowing the fact that he would be ordered to take part in war related operations or other actions that are against his principles, he decided to move away. He said that his wife Nga and he had welcomed many Americans like them in Canada during the Vietnam War.

Coordinator of Resisters Support Campaign, Lee Zaslofsky said that the decision to send back Jeremy and his family is very cruel as they would face harsh punishment in the US.

Recent decisions of the Federal Court of Canada in cases involving US war resisters like Joshua Key and Corey Glass has clearly indicated that the refugee process which was not able to grant protection to the Hinzman family is a bit flawed.

However, amidst all these things, the War Resisters Support Campaign is taking initiatives to help the war resisters. At present, the War Resisters Campaign is prompting the federal government and the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Diane Finley, to interfere in the issue and try to avoid the deportation of the Hinzman family to the US, where they will be punished.