Lufkin man's brother released from deportation to Albania

LUFKIN — A Lufkin restaurateur said he credits a local U.S. congressman and the community for helping encourage the temporary halt of his brother's deportation to Albania, where he expected to be killed upon returning.

The U.S. House Immigration Subcommittee and Department of Homeland Security recently reached an agreement to extend Nacogdoches resident Rrustem Neza's stay in the United States until a bill Rep. Louis Gohmert wrote on Neza's behalf in November can be further investigated, according to a press release from the congressman's office released Monday. Neza's deportation will be stayed until March 2009.

"God bless the people from Lufkin who helped us," said Xhemal Neza of Lufkin, the brother of Rrustem Neza. "Thank you. Thank you."

The brothers own a handful of East Texas eateries, including the Joe's Italian Grill restaurants in Lufkin and Nacogdoches. (Bob Childs, general manager of Lufkin Mall, has said the mall only has a relationship with Xhemal Neza.)

Xhemal Neza said his brother was released from a West Texas U.S. detention facility Friday afternoon and has returned to East Texas to be with his wife and two sons. His wife and their 10-year-old also face deportation. His 6-year-old son does not since he was born in the United States.

Neza fled from Albania to Belgium and later to the United States in January 2001 after his brother witnessed the murder of a leading member of the Democratic Party of Albania who helped bring down the nation's Communist regime in the 1990s, the release stated. His family has said that, because Neza publicly identified two men accused of assassinating a Democratic leader, he could be killed upon returning to Albania.

Two of Neza's cousins were murdered for their knowledge of the incident. Neza's brothers were granted asylum in the United States, but his claim was denied even though it was based on the same facts as his siblings', the release stated.

Rep. Gohmert said Neza's "ineffective council" contributed to him not being granted asylum. He credited the community for showing its support for the Neza family.

"This is encouraging news for Neza's family and for the community that has rallied around them during this difficult time," Gohmert stated in the release. "Sending him back to Albania is like signing a death warrant for an innocent man, which I cannot sit idly by and allow to happen. I will continue to seek legitimate asylum for Mr. Neza until he and his family can safely and peacefully carry on with their lives."

Gohmert became involved in Neza's cause several months ago, preparing a private relief bill H.B. 4070 in November.