Iraqi-American lawyer convicted for falsifyiing asylum applications

An Iraq-born American lawyer faces up to 35 years in prison for falsifying documents so asylum seekers from the Middle East can have a bigger chance to being granted entry into the United States, and his supporters are frustrated by the court's decision.

"We are infuriated that one of our leaders was targeted for helping people escape the horrors of Iraq and Syria," Assyria Foundation board member Ramon Michael said, as quoted by Fox News. "The Assyrian community worldwide has been watching this case. What do you think our opinion of the U.S. government will be if they insist on ruining a man who has earned the utmost respect and gratitude of his people worldwide?"

According to the report, Robert DeKelaita had been helping people emigrate to the U.S. for almost 20 years, with the past 10 years focused on helping Assyrians. During that time, he has helped around 4,000 people, both Christians and Muslims, move to North America.

Investigations started in 2008 and his office was raided in 2014. The court reportedly had some of his clients testify against him and say how he helped them come up with false documents and tales of persecution. The nine Iraqi Christians who testified are said to have been afraid of being deported.

"Evidence at trial revealed that from approximately 2000 to 2011, DeKelaita prepared and submitted asylum applications that contained material lies, including tales of rape, murder, torture, kidnappings, bombings and other forms of religious oppression in the Middle East," a statement from the office of Zachary Fardon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, reads. "As a result, several of DeKelaita's clients were granted asylum and eventually permanent residency and citizenship status."

DeKelaita's supporters are accusing authorities of targeting him because he allegedly spoke about the U.S. government pretending not to notice the persecution Christians are suffering in the Middle East. He previously filed a complaint against Detroit, criticizing immigration officials for favoring Muslim applicants over Christian asylum seekers.

"It should make anyone pause as to why all of the [government witnesses] were Iraqi Christians and why all of them are from Detroit," he told Fox News. "It should make any attorney very afraid that the government can go back to a client from 15 years ago and coerce them."

DeKelaita, who will be sentenced in August, was convicted this month "on one count of conspiracy to commit asylum fraud, two counts of knowingly offering false statements in an asylum application, and one count of procuring perjury during asylum interviews."

"I did the best I could for these people," he said. "I knew what they experienced was bad and I take pride in being able to help anyone – any religion – who is being persecuted."