A Haitian pastor now living in New Jersey says he fears he will be killed if he is forced to return to Haiti, as legal protections for many migrants come to an end.

Pastor Samuel Dupré, his wife, and their two children are seeking political asylum in the United States. While they wait for a decision, Dupré continues to preach a message of faith, hope, and compassion.

Dupré delivers sermons in Creole centered on God’s grace and mercy to churches throughout Philadelphia and South Jersey. But those themes are deeply personal for him now. He says he is praying for compassion for his own family as they try to remain in the United States.

Dupré’s fears have intensified after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the end of Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of migrants, including roughly 300,000 Haitians. He says deportation to Haiti would put his life in immediate danger.

“I cannot go back,” Dupré said.

Asked why, he answered: “The gangs — they will kill me. Anywhere I go, they will kill me. They have connections, and we have gangs everywhere.”

Dupré said he cannot rely on police protection in Haiti.

“The police are not going to do anything,” he said. “When I was in Haiti and the gangs came after me, I reported that to the police, and they didn’t do anything for me.”

His journey to this point began in France, where he earned two master’s degrees at the University of Strasbourg. While teaching there, he decided to return to Haiti to serve his country. He taught at a college, started a Bible school, and founded a church.

But instead of finding opportunity to serve, Dupré says he found corruption and violence. He alleges that at the college where he worked, female students were trading sex with teachers in exchange for passing grades. After reporting those cases to authorities, he says he became a target.

Dupré said gang members later came to his home intending to kill him. He was not there, but he says they left behind a death threat letter and bullets on his plate as a warning.

“They control the government because a lot of people in the government are members of those gangs,” Dupré said. “That’s why they control the government and the people.”

After fleeing Haiti in 2020, Dupré reunited with his sister in New Jersey. But her home did not have enough space for his family of four. A church eventually took them in, housing them in a small storage room where they had no privacy and no way to cook or shower.

“We were not happy, but we didn’t know where to go,” Dupré said.

The family’s circumstances began to improve with help from HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. The organization connected them with Congregation Kol Ami and several churches in South Jersey. Through that network, attorney Steven Janove, a HIAS volunteer, began helping the family secure better housing and navigate the asylum process.

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Janove said Dupré has followed every rule required of him.

“What’s so frustrating is that Pastor Samuel, like so many other Haitians, followed the rules and did exactly what they were asked to do,” Janove said. “He came here fearing persecution. He filed an asylum application, paid the fee, filed for work authorization, was granted work authorization, got a job, paid taxes, and continued to follow the law while starting a life here.”

Janove said it would be cruel to send Dupré back to Haiti, where conditions remain dire. The U.S. State Department currently warns Americans not to travel to Haiti because of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, civil unrest, and limited health care.

That danger is one reason Fervent Church in Voorhees, New Jersey, joined a coalition of churches and synagogues supporting the family. Pastor Mike Rosado said helping immigrant families is central to the church’s mission.

“What are the simple ways we can express the gospel? By being there for Samuel and his family,” Rosado said. “We do that through prayer. We do that through food. We do that through support in any way possible.”

Dupré’s family is also receiving help from the Multi-Faith Refugee Assistance Program, a coalition assisting more than 100 immigrant families facing possible deportation.

Even as his future remains uncertain, Dupré continues his ministry. He teaches a weekly Bible school over Zoom for people in Haiti, allowing him to serve from a safe distance. He also speaks at churches and synagogues across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, encouraging others to hold on to faith during hardship.

Asked what he and his family would offer America if allowed to stay, Dupré said they would contribute through ministry, teaching, and work.

“I’m a pastor. We can share the gospel of God. We can also share God’s compassion with people,” he said. “And I am a teacher. I can become a college teacher here, and I can help people. I have a Ph.D., and I can also pay taxes. There are a lot of things we can do for America.”

As the Trump administration pushes former TPS holders to leave the country or face arrest and forced repatriation, advocacy groups are urging Congress to extend protections for immigrants who could be sent back to life-threatening conditions.

For now, Dupré says he is praying his family will be allowed to stay in the United States. Until then, he says his mission is unchanged: keep serving others while he waits.
Sources:CBN News

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വിന്നിപെഗ്: കാനഡയിലെ മാനിറ്റോബ പ്രവിശ്യയിൽ വർക്ക് പെർമിറ്റ് കാലാവധി കഴിഞ്ഞതോ ഉടൻ അവസാനിക്കാനിരിക്കുന്നതോ ആയ ചില വിദേശ തൊഴിലാളികൾക്ക് വലിയ ആശ്വാസമായി പുതിയ തൊഴിൽ അനുമതി പദ്ധതി പ്രഖ്യാപിച്ചു. അർഹരായ തൊഴിലാളികൾക്ക് രണ്ടുവർഷത്തേക്ക് മാനിറ്റോബ-നിർദ്ദിഷ്ട വർക്ക് പെർമിറ്റ് നീട്ടാൻ അവസരം ലഭിക്കും. ഇതിലൂടെ സ്ഥിരതാമസ (PR) നടപടികൾ പൂർത്തിയാകുന്നതുവരെ അവർക്ക് ജോലി തുടരാനാകും.

മാനിറ്റോബ പ്രൊവിൻഷ്യൽ നോമിനി പ്രോഗ്രാം (MPNP) വഴി സ്ഥിരതാമസത്തിനായി ശ്രമിക്കുന്നവരാണ് ഈ ഇളവിന്റെ പ്രധാന ഗുണഭോക്താക്കൾ. തൊഴിൽ ക്ഷാമം നേരിടുന്ന മേഖലകളിലെ പരിചയസമ്പന്നരായ തൊഴിലാളികളെ പ്രവിശ്യയിൽ നിലനിർത്തുകയും തൊഴിലുടമകൾക്ക് ആവശ്യമായ തൊഴിൽശക്തി ഉറപ്പാക്കുകയും ചെയ്യുക എന്നതാണ് സർക്കാരിന്റെ ലക്ഷ്യം.

അർഹതയുള്ളവർക്ക് മാനിറ്റോബ സർക്കാരിൽ നിന്ന് Support Letter ലഭിച്ച ശേഷം പുതിയ വർക്ക് പെർമിറ്റിനായി അപേക്ഷിക്കാം. എന്നാൽ ഈ ഇളവ് എല്ലാവർക്കും ബാധകമല്ല. നിശ്ചിത മാനദണ്ഡങ്ങൾ പാലിക്കുന്നതും MPNP നടപടികളിലുള്ളതുമായ തൊഴിലാളികൾക്കാണ് ഈ അവസരം ലഭിക്കുക.

കുടിയേറ്റ നിയമങ്ങളിലെ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ കാരണം ജോലി നഷ്ടപ്പെടുമെന്ന ആശങ്കയിലായിരുന്ന ആയിരക്കണക്കിന് താൽക്കാലിക വിദേശ തൊഴിലാളികൾക്ക് ഈ തീരുമാനം വലിയ ആശ്വാസമായാണ് വിലയിരുത്തപ്പെടുന്നത്. ഇതിനൊപ്പം, സ്ഥിരതാമസത്തിനായുള്ള അപേക്ഷകൾ വേഗത്തിൽ പരിഗണിക്കാനുള്ള നടപടികളും മാനിറ്റോബ സർക്കാർ തുടരുകയാണ്.
Sources:expressherald

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Labour and Immigration Minister, Malaya Marcelino, announced earlier this week that, starting April 22, MPNP candidates whose work permits expired in 2024 or will expire this year can apply for the extension under a temporary public policy with the support of their employers.

The policy will apply to those temporary foreign workers who:

Had a valid MPNP Expression of Interest profile on January 15, 2025;
Have a valid MPNP Expression of Interest at the time of applying under this program;
Are currently employed in the province; and
Intend to establish themselves as a permanent resident in Manitoba.
Those who meet the criteria can apply for a work permit support letter from the province after completing an online submission form, available as of April 22.

Manitoba employers who have employees on expiring or expired work permits should take note of this announcement, which may serve as an avenue to keep their employees in Canada. However, this announcement does not necessarily mean employees who qualify for this program will have a pathway for permanent residency. Rather, this is a way to extend employees’ work permits without having to go through other immigration processes such as the advertising and recruitment processes of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process.

Currently, the LMIA process takes more than 70 business days to complete and costs $1,000 in filing fees. The process that Manitoba has introduced can be initiated immediately on obtaining a work permit support letter and costs employers $230 in filing fees.

In order to qualify for this public policy, temporary foreign workers must either:

Hold a valid work permit that will expire in 2025, or
Have held a work permit valid on May 7, 2024, that has since expired as long as they have submitted an application for a new work permit under section 200 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or
Have held a work permit valid on May 7, 2024, that has since expired and have submitted an application for an extension of the authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or
Have held a work permit valid on May 7, 2024, that has since expired and have submitted an application for restoration of temporary resident status under section 182 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or
Were authorized to work pursuant to paragraph 186 (u) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations on May 7, 2024, and the work permit extension application remains pending or was approved, and have submitted an application for a new work permit under section 200 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, or
Were authorized to work pursuant to paragraph 186 (u) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations on May 7, 2024, and the work permit extension application remains pending or was approved, and have submitted an application for an extension of the authorization to remain in Canada as a temporary resident under section 181 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Since 1998, the MPNP has invited skilled workers to Manitoba to fill labour gaps. Last September, Manitoba extended temporary work permits to retain skilled labour as well as pave a path toward citizenship for those workers. At the time, the provincial government identified 6,700 temporary workers eligible for that extension. While Ottawa has been reducing the number of foreign workers at a federal level, Manitoba welcomed a record 9,540 through the provincial nominee program in 2024.

Employers who require guidance through the application process or have questions about this MPNP announcement should contact the MLT Aikins immigration team.
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Indonesia – A Christian pastor has been sentenced to prison for two years for violating Indonesia’s law against blasphemy and hate speech in a case that has drawn scrutiny over the speed of his arrest and trial.

A panel of judges at Banda Aceh Court on July 10 handed down the sentence to Dedi Saputra, 31, a former Muslim from Aceh Province who was serving as a pastor in West Kalimantan Province. The court ruled that Saputra had “convincingly” committed a criminal offense under laws against blasphemy and hate speech, Article 301 of Indonesia’s Criminal Code, paragraph (1) of Law No. 1 of 2023, in conjunction with Law No. 1 of 2026 on Penal Adjustments.

The two-year sentence includes time spent in detention; he has been detained since his arrest in February. Prosecutors had demanded four years of prison, leaving them undecided on whether to accept the ruling or pursue further legal action.

TikTok Video

The case began when Mohd Rendi Febriansyah, chair of the Aceh regional board of the Indonesian Islamic Student (PII), filed a police report on Nov. 5 in coordination with several government agencies and Islamic organizations in Aceh, including the Islamic Sharia Office, the Aceh Civil Service Police Unit, aceh.tribunnews.com. reported.

In a now deleted TikTok video posted by Pastor Saputra’s account, @tersadarkan5758, in the course of responding to a question about his conversion he stated, “Muhammad, before becoming a prophet, had only one wife, but when he became a prophet, he had dozens of wives.”

The clip was later edited and re-uploaded by Kenzie De Jann Weringkukly. Weringkukly added to Pastor Saputra’s statement by displaying an article from Suara Muhammadiyah magazine, which stated, “Before his prophethood (between ages 25 and 40), Prophet Muhammad SAW had only one wife, Siti Khadijah binti Khuwaylid. During this period, he never practiced polygamy, and Khadijah was his only wife until her death. Several years after his prophethood, he had 11 to 13 wives, known as the Ummahatul Mukminin (Mothers of the Believers). Most of these marriages took place in Medina for social and humanitarian reasons, and to strengthen inter-tribal ties, while Khadijah (his first wife) was his only wife in Mecca. At the time of his death, he left behind nine wives.”

Pastor Saputra, who was ministering to a small Christian congregation in Suka Maju village, Sungai Betung District, Bengkayang Regency, was arrested on Feb. 18 as he returned home with his wife after purchasing personal items and supplies for his church.

He was initially detained at the Bengkayang Police Resort and the West Kalimantan Regional Police headquarters before being flown to the Aceh Regional Police headquarters on Feb. 20.

The entire legal process, from arrest to sentencing, spanned just 142 days. The swiftness of the proceedings has been noted by multiple parties, with some observers suggesting it reflects a hardline attitude toward blasphemy in Aceh, the only province granted special autonomy to implement sharia (Islamic law).

Rights groups, including the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, have urged the Indonesian government to amend or eliminate blasphemy legislation, arguing that such laws are incompatible with international human rights standards and disproportionately harm minority groups, voaindonesia.com reported.

In July 2023, Setara Institute called on the Indonesian National Police to “stop or at least implement a moratorium on the use of religious blasphemy articles,” citing data showing these provisions were frequently used to “arbitrarily criminalize certain parties.”

The deputy chairman of the Setara Institute, Bonar Tigor Naipospos, told Morning Star News that there is “undeniable discrimination in law enforcement in a number of cases alleged to involve religious defamation.”

“If the perpetrators are non-Muslims and the incidents occur in predominantly non-Muslim areas, the government quickly steps in to mediate,” Naipospos said. “The government is very concerned about cases that have the potential to offend and provoke the anger of the majority.”

Naipospos said police in nearly all blasphemy cases base their charges on fatwas issued by Islamic organizations such as the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), though such religious rulings are not supposed to be a formal legal basis for state action. From 2007 to 2022, Setara Institute found that blasphemy articles were “often used to arbitrarily criminalize certain parties” and amounted to little more than a “trial by mob.”

Saputra’s case has drawn attention from international religious freedom advocates. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) lists him among those imprisoned for religious activity, noting his arrest in February by Aceh Regional Police over social media content deemed blasphemous. Voice of the Martyrs and other groups have also reported on the case, highlighting concerns over the use of blasphemy laws to target religious minorities and converts.

Aceh’s Special Autonomy

Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra near Singapore and Malaysia, is the only province in Indonesia with special autonomy rights to implement sharia. Even outside Aceh, however, numerous provinces and regencies have enacted local regulations with sharia nuances.

According to the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), now the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), 24 provinces, or 72.72 percent of regions in Indonesia, issued sharia-inspired local regulations between 1999 and 2009.

Michael Buehler, a researcher at the University of London, noted in his book “Politics of Shari’a Law” that 443 sharia-based local regulations were enacted across Indonesia from 1999 to 2014. The number of such regulations often increases after legislative and regional head elections, as local lawmakers seek to attract voters and boost their electoral prospects.

The sentencing of Pastor Saputra underscores the ongoing tension between Indonesia’s commitment to religious pluralism and the reality of its blasphemy laws, which critics say are vague, discriminatory, and prone to abuse. As the country continues to grapple with issues of religious intolerance, the case is likely to fuel further debate over the future of blasphemy legislation and the protection of religious minorities in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.
Sources:christiannews

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