‘Stand with Edward’ vigil for Ugandan pastor detained by ICE – KGNU Community Radio

On Saturday, a group gathered outside the ICE detention facility in Aurora to protest the deportation of Rev. Edward Nalwamba, an Anglican pastor in his late 70s who has been in ICE detention since September. Joy Athanasiou, the lead counsel for Rev. Nalwamba, speaks on their effort to stay his order of deportation.

A press release from the AFSC read as follows:

A local Anglican community has asked ICE to stay the removal of Rev. Edward Nalwamba. Edward is a 78 year old Pastor from Uganda who has lived in the United States for over 25 years. His community and supporters from Resurrection Anglican Fellowship, Greenwood Village are asking ICE not to deport Rev. Nalwamba to his home country of Uganda, where he faces severe persecution by the government including imprisonment, torture and even death. Credible threats continue to be leveled against him up to today.

Rev. Nalwamba has been active in pastoral ministry during the time he has resided in the US as well as personally assisting with special needs and disabled individuals. He is beloved in the communities he has served and has had many letters sent on his behalf to ICE to stay his deportation and release him from ICE detention, where he has been unlawfully imprisoned for the past nine months. During his incarceration, Edward experienced medical neglect and serious illness, which has left him wheelchair-bound, malnourished and severely weak. He is currently ill with an upper respiratory virus and has been unable to get adequate medical attention.

Rev. Nalwamba has no criminal history whatsoever and has cooperated with ICE at every turn over his two and a half decades here. He requested political asylum after coming to the US, but his case was marred by legal malpractice and poor representation, resulting in a denial from the appellate court in 2010. For the past 15 years, he was placed under an “Order of Supervision” with ICE and complied with all requirements, neither being a threat to the community, nor a “flight risk,” but was detained by ICE last September without cause. He is currently scheduled for deportation on Tuesday, June 30th.

Edward is represented by Joy Athanasiou and David Simmons, who asked ICE to grant a stay of removal filed a motion to the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen his asylum case.

This story was excerpted for the Morning Magazine and originally aired on Metro, KGNU’s daily show focusing on issues affecting the Metro Denver, Boulder & Front Range community. Click here to listen to other episodes of Metro.