An Iraqi national who has lived in the U.S. since he was a child and was deported to Iraq has reportedly died.
Jimmy Aldaoud, 41, was an Iraqi national but had never lived there and could not speak Arabic. He was born in Greece but was brought to the U.S. as a child and was living in Detroit, Michigan, when he was deported in June amid an immigration crackdown.
Immigration lawyer Edward Bajoka, a self-described friend of the family, said on Facebook that Aldaoud, who suffered from diabetes, was found dead Wednesday in Iraq and that the cause was likely his inability to get insulin.
“Rest In Peace Jimmy,” Bajoka wrote. “Your blood is on the hands of ICE and this administration.”
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement representative told Politico that Aldaoud had “an extensive criminal history,” including 20 convictions spanning almost two decades and had twice been ordered removed from the U.S.
According to ICE, among Aldaoud’s convictions were assault with a dangerous weapon, domestic violence, and theft. He served 17 months for a home invasion in 2013.
The representative said that when he was removed from the country, Aldaoud was supplied with “a full complement of medicine” to ensure that he was cared for while transitioning to Iraq, where he had never lived.
After news of his death broke Wednesday, Democratic Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan condemned Aldaoud’s deportation on Twitter.
“It was clear that deporting Jimmy to a country where he had never been, had no identification, had no family, had no knowledge of geography or customs, did not speak the language and ultimately, had no access to medical care, would put his life in extreme danger,” he said.
It was clear that deporting Jimmy to a country where he had never been, had no identification, had no family, had no knowledge of geography or customs, did not speak the language and ultimately, had no access to medical care, would put his life in extreme danger.
— Rep. Andy Levin (@RepAndyLevin) August 7, 2019
Aldaoud was a Chaldean Catholic, a group that faces discrimination in Iraq, which has a majority-Muslim population. Roughly 160,000 Chaldeans live in Michigan.
In May, Levin and Republican Rep. John Moolenaar introduced bipartisan legislation that would grant two years of deportation relief for Iraqis with orders for removal. The bill has 30 cosponsors and has been introduced but has not moved beyond that point.
Aldaoud appeared in an undated Facebook video this week. He appeared to be sitting on the corner of a road and described how ICE “refused to listen” to him and that Iraq was unknown to him. He also mentioned his trouble with finding insulin.
Bajoka said in his Wednesday post that in addition to having diabetes, Aldaoud also suffered from mental illness.
“He was a paranoid schizophrenic. His mental health was the primary reason for his legal issues that led to his deportation,” Bajoka wrote.
