CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has sent a letter to President Trump asking that his administration reconsider its decision to deport nearly 70 Indonesians who lost their bid to remain in the U.S. and fear persecution if returned home.
The Republican governor said a 2010 program Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen helped develop has allowed the Indonesians to stay if they regularly checked in with immigration officials. In recent months, however, many have been told to buy airline tickets to return to Indonesia. A federal judge in Boston has put that on hold.
Sununu, in his letter dated Friday, said the families have become an integral part of their neighborhoods, schools and churches and they seek to practice their Christian faith without fear of persecution.
It wasn’t immediately known if the Trump administration responded.
Correction: This story was revised at 10:56 a.m., Oct. 24, 2017, to reflect that Democrat Jeanne Shaheen was in the U.S. Senate when she helped negotiate a deal with ICE to allow members of the Indonesian community to stay in New Hampshire.
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