20 Years Later, A Win for Ibrahim Parlak

Mike Murrell, Michigan Public, Oct. 10, 2024

"Ibrahim 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."