Sons worry for deportation family

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7156904.stm

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The two adult sons of a family may be forced to return to Pakistan even though the rest have won a last-minute temporary reprieve from deportation.

Christopher and Calvin George happened to be visiting their parents in Swansea when immigration officials called.

Their parents, two sisters and younger brother have won a judicial review of the deportation order against them.

The brothers, who live in England, were held over alleged visa irregularities even though they have up-to-date visas.

The pair were taken to a detention centre in Cambridgeshire on Friday, as the rest of the family were released from a removal centre near Gatwick airport, where they were set to be deported to Pakistan on Sunday.

George William and his family fled Pakistan claiming they have faced years of harassment and persecution because of their Christian beliefs.

They came to the UK in 2003 and live in Swansea, where Mr William is a volunteer with Oxfam, which has taken up their case.

Pupils at Bishop Vaughan school held a protest on Friday

The family's claims for asylum have been rejected and on Wednesday immigration officers went to the family home in Swansea and took the family into detention.

After a campaign by their friends, and with support from the children's class-mates, the High Court decided on Friday to look again at their claims that they faced persecution if returned to Pakistan.

Christopher and Calvin George - the children use their father's first name as their second name - were also questioned on Wednesday and were taken to Swansea Prison due to alleged visa irregularities.

'Technicality'

Both men have been in the UK legally since 2004 with up-to-date visas. They are studying information technology in Slough.

Keith Ross, a Swansea-based volunteer at Asylum Justice, a south Wales group providing legal advice to asylum seekers not entitled to legal aid, claimed the Home Office was "using a technicality to deport them".

He said: "I have not seen the official papers yet but I understand the Home Office is claiming their original application did not say that their family was already in the UK.

"But both men have had their visas renewed in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and this has been made clear each time.

"If the Home Office does not know about it then someone somewhere is not doing his job."

'Integrity'

Mr Ross added the brothers could be flown out of the UK as early as Monday.

A Border and Immigration Agency spokesman said: "We do not comment on individual cases.

"The UK Government is committed to providing protection for those individuals found to be genuinely in need, in accordance with our commitments under international law.

"However, in order to maintain the integrity of our asylum system and prevent unfounded applications it is important that we are able to enforce returns of those who do not need protection and who have no further claim to remain in the UK."