Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Somali ambassador to US, Ahmed Isse Awad
The move is seen as an attempt to deter the influx of illegal immigrants arriving in the United States which rarely expelled illegal immigrants from war-torn countries back to their countries.
Ahmed Isse Awad, Somalia’s ambassador to Washington told HOL that the new deportation operation by the immigration enforcement agency would affect Somali immigrants, mostly young men in US jails.
“I don’t know their official number, but I have asked the US government to give me the chance to meet them.” Mr. Awad said in an interview.
The development comes amid concerns by European countries that are struggling to cope with migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in Middle East and Africa.
EU countries have received the highest numbers of illegal migrants in recent years.
According to immigration authorities, hundreds of illegal Somali immigrants are smuggled across the US-Mexico border every year, with many of them are arrested at border checkpoints.
Rights groups have earlier called for European countries and the United States not to send illegal immigrants back to Somalia where the Al-Qaead linked militants are still waging a deadly guerilla war across large parts of the country.