After being told that they had four weeks to leave the country and go back to Germany, the Romeike family has been granted one more year to stay in the United States. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement's decision to delay their deportation goes into effect October 11.
Evangelical Christians Ewe and Hannelor Romeike moved to east Tennessee in 2008 with five of their children to have the freedom to homeschool, which is illegal in their native country. Their two youngest children were born in the United States. Their oldest daughter, Lydia, is married to Trace Bates, one of the sons of Gil and Kelly Bates, stars of Bringing Up Bates.
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The homeschooling community rallied around the family.
"This is excellent news! According to our friends on Capitol Hill, this outcome is the direct result of your calls, your petition signatures, and your outreach to Congress on this issue," Joel Grewe, executive director of the Home School Legal Defense Association, wrote on the association's website.
"I spoke personally with the ICE officer in Knoxville, who told me we can anticipate them signing the order of supervision out for another year. And while we are very grateful for this news, we are continuing to advocate for a long-term solution for the Romeike family to allow their permanent stay in the United States," HSLDA attorney Kevin Boden told Grewe.
Even Tennessee lawmakers got involved in the case.
When their community got word that the Romeike family was facing deportation, more than 100,000 people signed a petition to the Joe Biden administration asking officials to reinstate the family’s deferred action status. Additionally, 45 Tennessee lawmakers also signed a letter to ICE asking them not to deport the family.
"We are asking you and your office to give this family a chance to continue building their lives in Tennessee," the letter read. "It is our understanding a court has ruled they are allowed to stay indefinitely, as long as they fulfill their obligation of checking in as ordered by ICE. To our knowledge they have been faithful in doing so."
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This is still only a temporary situation.
"To uproot this family who has been contributing to our city, county and state in many ways seems unduly cruel and unnecessary," the letter continued. "As time is of the essence, we ask that a review of their circumstances be made and at least give this family more time."
At least for now, they have been given that extra time, but it feels like this case is far from over.
The Romeikes aren't legal US citizens.
The Romeike family doesn’t have legal immigrant status in the United States. Instead, they have been allowed to stay in the country on indefinite deferred action status, which according to The Tennessean "allows for prosecutorial discretion in decisions to deport individuals."
In 2010, a judge granted them asylum because they had a "well-founded fear of persecution" by the German government for wanting to homeschool and were facing $9,000 in fines. The US Department of Justice appealed the decision, and in 2012, the US Board of Immigration Appeals revoked their asylum status. Their indefinite deferred action status means they could be asked to head back to Germany with little notice.
Lydia is married to a reality TV personality.
When the Romeike family moved to Tennessee in 2008, they had five children, who would also face deportation. Their two youngest daughters were born in Tennessee and are US citizens.
Oldest daughter Lydia is married to Trace, and they welcomed their first child together, a son named Ryker, this year. Trace and his family are reality TV stars, having starred on TLC’s United Bates of America and UPtv’s Bringing Up Bates.
