California May Deport 84-Year-Old Man for Bible Study at Veterans Home

The California Department of Veterans Affairs is threatening to deport an 84-year-old widow from her California veterans home if she continues to attend Bible studies, according to her lawyer.

The woman, Artis Breau, has volunteered as a chaplain and has led Bible studies for the past decade.

The controversy began last September when one of the residents said he was having trouble sleeping after having a conversation with her about heaven and hell. California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet) officials called it elder abuse and emotional abuse, according to the Pacific Justice Institute.

Her volunteer status with the chaplaincy program was suspended in December. Then, on March 1, CalVet told the Pacific Justice Institute that Breau would be subject to an “involuntary eviction” from the house if she continued to lead Bible studies.

Breau believes the authorities are skeptical of her because she is an evangelical Christ-believer Jew.

“The treatment that CalVet reserved for this widow is shameful” noted Pacific Justice Institute lawyer Matthew McReynolds. “Throughout this process, we have been deeply disturbed not only by the lack of constitutional guidance, incompetence and lack of due process in the investigation, but even more by the idea that discussing points of view religious on the eternal state of the soul is somehow older. violence or psychological violence.

“Our client’s husband fought for his country to preserve the freedoms currently threatened by CalVet. Our veterans deserve better.

Breau was a civilian employee of the Office of the Chief of Staff of the Army at the Pentagon during the Korean War. Her husband served in World War II and the Korean War.

The Pacific Justice Institute is considering legal action.

“This shocking state attack on the exercise of our client’s religious beliefs is deeply disturbing,” said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute. “The state seeks to punish Artis on the basis of non-existent guidelines, and deprive her of a personal ministry to veterans who have benefited from her religious services for years. Artis is not only fighting for herself, but for the Gospel and for the inhabitants who are unable to fight for themselves against the attempts to intimidate the state.

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.

Photo courtesy of Lucas Sankey / Unsplash

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