The Washington Times reported recently that Mr. Uwi Romeike, his wife, and five (5) children were granted political asylum last week by an Immigration Judge in Tennessee due to the fact that they were part of a social group of individuals back in Germany who home school their children.

Home schooling is illegal in Germany.  Violators can be fined, jailed and in some cases lose custody of their children. 

This family chose to home-school their children because they felt that the German school system has become increasingly against Christian values.

According to the article, the Immigration Judge in his ruling mentioned that he granted this family political asylum because they proved to have a well founded fear of persecution and after hearing the family’s testimony, the Judge determined that home-schoolers are a particular social group that the German government is trying to suppress, this family is eligible for political asylum and hence will be granted.

After reading the article, it is such a rarity to see that that U.S. has granted political asylum to a family who comes from a country with strong ties to the U.S.  Nevertheless, this family presented a valid claim for asylum, corroborated their claim well, was deemed eligible, and was granted their benefit. 

Whether this ruling will open the floodgates for other similarly situated Germans will remain to be seen.