Ridgway rallies around Armenians

[Robb]

(Robb's note: this story still sits in the news folder at work waiting to be published, for fear of libel. Fortunately, the Denver Post seems to have fewer fears... or deeper pockets. It's an amazing, sad story about people being taken advantage of Ñ and in my opinion, a government (ours) that refuses to take any responsibility for the actions of its citizens overseas.)

Ridgway rallies around Armenians

Ridgway - In the bureaucratic view of the Department of Homeland Security, the six despondent Armenians crowded together on a rose-colored couch in this small Western Slope town have no right to be here.

(snip)

Huckfeldt began telling other Armenians that he could obtain visas for them to go to the United States, the Sargsyans said. He collected more than $1,000 each from 10 to 15 families, they said, then left the country, taking along an 8- months-pregnant Nvart.


(snip)

With the support of her family, Nvart filed for divorce, claiming that Huckfeldt had abused her throughout the marriage. Several people in town supported her claim, but Huckfeldt was never convicted of a crime.

Huckfeldt responded by writing to immigration authorities, claiming the family was in the country fraudulently on student visas.

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