Michigan-Based Chaldean Federation of America (CFA)
Delivers Training to Homeland Security’s Immigration and Asylum Services in Chicago

October 12th, 2006

Consistent with the Chaldean Federation of America’s (CFA) monumental international efforts to advocate for the human rights of the Iraqi Christians minorities, the organization’s outreach and training team responded to the invitation of the US Department of Homeland Security Citizenship and Immigration Services to provide an in-service training session to the Department’s Regional Asylum Offices in Chicago Illinois on October 12, 2006.

The three-hour session, which drew asylum and immigration officers, government officials and trial attorneys, focused on the vulnerability of Iraqi Christians both within the borders of their country and in countries of refuge. The CFA team members described the compelling reasons behind the continuing flight of the Iraqi Christians from their ancestral land. The CFA’s presentation focused on the unique, identifying characteristics of the Iraqi Christian populations in order to assist the US Homeland Security in the examination and resettlement of those Iraqi Christian refugees who have fled in fear for their lives and safety.

Mr. Joseph Kassab, Executive Director to the Chaldean Federation headed the CFA outreach and training team, which benefited from the knowledge and expertise of Attorney Joel Yono of the Chaldean American Bar Association, Mr. Ra’fat Ita from the Lutheran Social Services of Michigan, and Mr. Jalal Shamasha who represented the Chaldean American Foundation in California.