Community rallies to stop Chaldean deportations

Relatives, advocates and lawmakers rallied Friday outside of the Patrick V. McNamara Federal Building against the deportation of more than 100 Iraqi-American immigrants arrested in raids last weekend. Event organizers contend sending the majority-Chaldean detainees to Iraq will put them in jeopardy of genocide by ISIS for being Christians. “We want to make sure that people are aware of the human rights catastrophe that’s unfolding here,” said Martin Manna, 45, a rally organizer and president of the Sterling Heights-based Chaldean Community Foundation. U.S. Reps. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, and Brenda Lawrence, D-Southfield, joined the group in Detroit Friday to protest the deportations.