Court denies asylum to German home-schoolers

May 15, 2013 at 11:06a.m.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A federal appeals court has denied asylum to a Christian family that fled Germany because that country does not allow home schooling.

Many American home-school families and evangelical Christians have taken up the cause of Uwe and Hannelore Romeike. They faced fines and the threat of losing custody of their children because they refused to comply with Germany’s compulsory school attendance law. The family moved to Morristown in 2008.

On Tuesday, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Romeikes do not meet the criteria for asylum.

The court said U.S. immigration laws do not grant a safe haven to people everywhere who face restrictions that would be prohibited under our Constitution.

A representative of the family says they plan to appeal.