JIMMY ALDAOUD

Mina Amer

Jimmy Aldaoud, an Iraqi Christian from the Chaldean community. He was 41 years old when he died. His parents are Iraqi. He was born in Greece and migrated to the United States when he was 6 months old. Greece, unlike the US, does not grant citizenship to people who are born there.

Jimmy had schizophrenia and diabetes. As a result, He had legal problems and he finished his imprisonment period and did not acquire the American citizenship. He was deported to Iraq as a result of Trump’s administration. He does not speak Arabic and has never visited Iraq in his life.

After the immigration authorities decided to deport Jimmy, he was put on a flight to Najaf instead of Baghdad. Najaf is known to be a ‘holy city’ for Shiites, and it has no Chaldean community, which Aldaoud belonged to. Arriving in Najaf with no documents, no insulin, no community, and nowhere to go to, Jimmy was homeless and sick. He died seeking Insulin for his diabetes.

It is important to view this case from a legal as well as a humanitarian point of view. Should a person who lived in the United States since he was only 6 months be deported to a country just because his parents were born in that country? Furthermore, for someone with a mental disorder, was deportation because of his criminal record the best solution? The Chaldean community in Detroit is questioning the role of the Chaldean Church in taking care of Aldaoud. Aldaoud’s fate must lead to further investigation and reassessment of the cruelty associated with deportation.