brahim Parlak will remain in the United States after two decades of legal battles. The Harbert, Michigan, restaurant owner no longer faces the threat of deportation to his home country of Turkey. Parlak described his relief as hard to put into words.
“It’s such a relief,” Parlak said. “It’s 100 pounds of load lifted off your shoulders.”
Parlak's fight began in 2004 when officials issued a deportation order against him. The United Nations Convention Against Torture prevented his return, but government appeals kept the threat alive.
Parlak's attorney, Robert Carpenter, said relief was granted to Parlak in 2018, but a government appeal forced a reassessment of Turkey’s then current political situation.
“We put together proof of the threat of torture in May,” Carpenter said. “We retried it. We reargued it, and the judge ruled on Sept. 4 that things have in fact gotten worse in Turkey.”
The federal immigration judge, Kathryn L. DeAngelis, ruled that Parlak would likely face torture if he returned to Turkey and upheld the relief. The government had 30 days to appeal but chose not to, ending Parlak's deportation threat.
Throughout his struggles, the community rallied around Parlak. He credited their support as a key factor in his resilience.
“I’ve been part of this community for over 30 years,” Parlak said. “The community knew who I was. It didn’t matter to them what I was accused of. It didn’t matter what DHS was saying.”
Carpenter said the process took far too long, but ultimately, it represented a victory for the legal system.
“This was a massive victory for the United States, being the refuge we hold ourselves out to be,” Carpenter said. “It’s a massive victory for the rule of law, because this is what should have happened. And it’s a massive victory for him, personally, because he doesn’t have to live with the weight of being picked up on short notice and sent home.”
Parlak hopes his story sets the stage for future generations.
“I hope that we don’t lose that human side of us,” Parlak said, “instead of labeling each other. We’re all human beings. It’s one world we live in. All together we need to make the best of it.”
