My name is Mikhail Sebastian. I am 39 years old, former citizen of USSR. I have been living in the USA for 16 years now as stateless gay person without country and citizenship since the dissolution of former Soviet Union. I am registered stateless person with UNHCR. On December 29, 2011 I have traveled for New Year holiday to the US territory of American Samoa in South Pacific. On my way back to Los Angeles I was barred from entering USA as I was told by immigration authorities that since I left the mainland of the US I in fact self-deported myself from USA. I have no country to go to, no country to claim as a stateless person but my long-term residency was in the USA.

I previously lived in several republics of former Soviet Union and the last one was Turkmenistan where homosexuality is punishable by law up to 5 years in prison. I came to the USA to seek protection, safety. Now I am stranded in the US territory fighting with federal authorities to allow me to return back home to Los Angeles. My case is now with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

I need your help to advocate for my plight, to urge US Government to grant my humanitarian parole so I can return to my productive life in the United States.

International Stateless Persons Organization has created a petition for me including petition from my friends. I would need to raise the awareness with US Government about the plight of stateless people who are not protected by current immigration law.

1. http://www.change.org/petitions/us-secretary-janet-napolitano-discretionary-decision-in-favor-of-mikhail-sebastian-s-return-to-the-us

2. http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-deportation-of-stateless-us-residents-immigration-reform-2012

Thank you