A U.S. immigration judge has granted political asylum to a German family who homeschooled their children.

The Romeike family fled to the U.S. to escape Germany's harsh restrictions against homeschooling. It's the first decision of its kind involving German homeschoolers, and clears the way for the Romeike family, including their five children, to stay in Morristown, Tenn., where they have been living since 2008.

As CBN News has reported, Germany has the most repressive laws against homeschooling in all of the nations that comprise the European Union. It is illegal most of the time in the country and homeschoolers are treated like common criminals.

German police have raided the homes of some homeschool families, and have taken away their children. Homeschool families are often turned in, investigated, fined, and jailed until they either quit homeschooling their children or leave the country.

The judge in this case said Germany had violated "basic human rights that no country has a right to violate."  

He also called Germany's homeschool policy "repellent to everything we believe as Americans."