Asmeret Yosef
Quick Facts
Biography
Asmeret Yosef is a former asylum-seeking immigrant from Eritrea who was deported from the United States in 2006, after incorrect advice from a lawyer caused her to make mistakes in her immigration process. In Madison, Wisconsin, the town where she had been living, there was extensive news coverage about her fight against deportation. She left behind two toddlers and a husband, all of whom are United States citizens.
The United States signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which in Article 9 (3) states that "States parties shall respect the right of the child who is separated from one or both parents to maintain personal relations and direct contact with both parents on a regular basis, except if it is contrary to the child's best interests", but never ratified the convention.