White House Declines to Weigh in on Petition to Grant German Homeschool Family Asylum...After Petition Garners Enough Signatures for Response

Despite repeated roadblocks, Uwe and Hannelore Romeike's battle for asylum in the United States continues. Last month, the family's attorneys pledged to take the ongoing quest to the Supreme Court. Weeks later, the Obama administration has issued a sparse response to an official petition posted on the White House website -- a plea that urged the government to protect the family.

The petition, "Immediate Action Requested for Romeikes -- Grant Permanent Legal Status to Persecuted German Homeschool Family," was originally posted on the We the People website on March 19, 2013 and asked federal officials to grant the parents and their six children "full and permanent legal status" and "the same freedom our forefathers sought."

The White House has responded to an official petition about the Romeike family. (Image source: whitehouse.gov)

The White House's response, though, likely wasn't what supporters of the Romeikes had hoped for. Essentially an elongated "no comment," the government declined to offer perspective, specifically citing that it cannot comment on issues that are before the courts. Here's the full statement:

The We the People Terms of Participation explain that "the White House may decline to address certain procurement, law enforcement, adjudicatory, or similar matters properly within the jurisdiction of federal departments or agencies, federal courts, or state and local government." To the extent that these petitions request a particular law enforcement or adjudicatory action, or address a matter before the courts, we cannot issue a comment.

But while we can’t comment on this particular issue, we know that homeschooling is a popular option for many parents pursuing high academic standards for their children. Homeschooling can provide young people with the resources and attention they need to succeed academically, and we understand why their parents value this freedom.

Thank you for your petition and your participation in We the People.

As of Thursday morning, the petition had received more than 127,000 votes (more than 100,000 came in between March and April of this year). In order to be reviewed by the appropriate federal agency and to receive an official administration response, a petition must earn 100,000 views in one month.

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike (center) and their six children stand with Michael Farris and other members of their legal team (Image source: Home School Legal Defense Association)

The Romeike family came to the U.S. in an effort to seek asylum after being persecuted in Germany for homeschooling their children. As TheBlaze previously reported, an immigration judge granted the parents and children asylum in 2010, but the U.S. government appealed, arguing that laws against homeschooling don't constitute human rights infractions.

Despite the family's claims that a return to Germany would mean fines and potential jail time, an immigration review board agreed with the government, and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the family's push for a new hearing.

The Home School Legal Defense Association, which is representing the family, is now hoping that the Supreme Court will take up the case.

(H/T: Religion News Service)

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