Albanian immigrant refuses to leave while sick wife, son need help

Area State Reps. ask ICE to reconsider decision

State. Reps. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) and Frank Liberati (D-Allen Park) have asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to grant a stay of deportation to a long-time Southgate resident from Albania.

Ded Rranxburgaj, 48, has been ordered to leave the country by Jan. 25 or face legal repercussions. He has vowed to stay, and took asylum at Central United Methodist Church in Detroit last week.

Rranxburgaj and his wife, Flora, came to the U.S. decades ago while their home country of Albania was going through major unrest.

They both tried to claim asylum and were denied as the country’s political issues calmed down. The Rranxburgaj’s came to the U.S. because they weren’t allowed to practice their religion in Albania at the time.

The pair was allowed to stay in the U.S. despite being denied asylum as Flora Rranxburgaj was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Due to her condition, she is still allowed to stay in the U.S., as is their son who is a college student. Only Ded Rranxburgaj has been notified that he must return to Albania. Flora Rranxburgaj recently had a stroke and is bound to a wheelchair. She relies on her husband for most of her day-to-day medical care.

“Mr. Rranxburgaj pays his taxes, he cares for his wife and children — he is an embodiment of the American Dream. Why are we taking it away from him?” Liberati said. “I strongly urge ICE to do the right thing, the humane thing, and allow this loving family to remain intact.”

Rranxburgaj has lived in the U.S. for 17 years and has been active in his community.

“It was only a week ago that a Metro Detroit family was torn apart after a long-term resident without a criminal background was separated from his spouse and children,” Chang said. “We cannot live with a system where people are punished for doing the right thing, and I fervently hope that ICE puts a hold on this order.”

The man Chang was referring to from last week is former Lincoln Park resident Jorge Garcia, who was sent to Mexico after 30 years living in the U.S.

Rebecca Adducci, who heads the Detroit field office for ICE will make the final decision, but the office issued a statement last week calling Rranxburgaj a fugitive after he announced his intentions to stay in the U.S.

“In October 2017, ICE allowed Mr. Rranxburgaj to remain free from custody while making preparations for his departure pursuant to the judge’s order, which he had satisfactorily done,” ICE spokesman Khaalid Walls said in the statement. “He was again instructed to report to ICE, but did not report as instructed.”

His recent failure to report was the first time Rranxburgaj didn’t do as told by ICE officials in his nearly two decade stay in the U.S.

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