A conservative Christian woman in Idaho faces the harsh reality of her Bhutanese refugee husband's deportation under aggressive immigration policies, forcing her and her community to re-evaluate their political and religious convictions.
Stephanie Shah, a conservative Christian from Twin Falls, Idaho, and her Bhutanese refugee husband, Binod Shah, saw their life shattered when Binod was deported due to past criminal convictions. Despite being a resettled refugee, a successful small business owner, and a devoted father, Binod's felony aggravated assault and DUI convictions led to his green card revocation and eventual removal under the Trump administration's expanded anti-immigration enforcement. The article details their emotional final drive to the ICE center, Binod's harrowing history as a refugee expelled from Bhutan, and his efforts to build a new life in the US. It highlights the profound disillusionment within their deeply conservative, Christian community, many of whom supported Trump, as they grapple with the "double punishment" of deportation and the separation of a family under policies they once endorsed. Stephanie, now a single mother, questions the "family values" rhetoric and the justice system, while Binod remains in hiding in South Asia, stateless and unable to return home. The event has sparked a re-evaluation of immigration policies among her neighbors, challenging long-held political and religious beliefs.
