HARBERT (WKZO AM/FM) — It’s just a little ironic that in this tough time for immigrants, with travel bans, deportations and zero tolerance policies that Ibrahim Parlak would finally win his long battle to stay in the U.S.
The Turkish refugee sought asylum in the U.S. because he was a member of a labor group that was being persecuted. Years later when that same group turned violent, and was relabeled a terrorist group, Immigration tried to deport him.
By then he had become a successful businessman, opening restaurants first in Downtown Kalamazoo, then in Harbert.
He has been fighting to stay here ever since, picking up support from Rep. Fred Upton and Sen. Carl Levin along the way.
Tuesday, an Immigration judge finally ruled that the 56-year-old can stay, agreeing that he faced torture and even death if he was returned to Turkey.
