A family living in British Columbia for five years faces deportation to Mexico but has been granted support to stay in the province.
Thousands of Christmas cards written in support of the Bazan family have arrived at St. James Anglican Church in downtown Vancouver.
The church held an event on Saturday to send all letters of support to Sean Fraser, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
“We came as refugees,” said Claudia Zamorano. “We are holding this event right now to try to get the minister’s attention and, if possible, to try to stop our deportation until we get a response to our (permanent residence applications).”
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Leticia Baxan Porto, her sons Andres Bazan, Isaias Bazan, her daughter-in-law Claudia Zamorano and her nine-year-old granddaughter face deportation on December 19, although their application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds is still being processed.
Despite reports of support from B.C.’s health minister, the Hospital Workers Union and more than 1,600 people, the Canada Border Services Agency has refused to delay their removal until the application is processed, the family said.
Zamorano has worked as a health worker at the Royal Columbian Hospital for more than two years, Leticia has been a volunteer at Vancouver’s Eastside Center, and Isaiah and Andres work as carpenters.
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“We have our life here,” Zamorano said. “We met friends and they became family.”
The family is supported by Sanctuary Health, a grassroots community group that advocates for immigrants in the community, as well as the Watari Counseling and Support Services Society.
“The family’s lawyer submitted a 945-page application to the Canada Border Services Agency asking that their removal be delayed pending a decision on their application for permanent residence,” Sanctuary Health staff said in a release.
“This will allow the family to continue their lives in Canada while they await this decision.” The CBSA denied the request in less than 24 hours. Meanwhile, the family has been waiting for a decision on their permanent residency application for more than a year.
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“Canada must maintain its reputation as a welcoming country for refugees and migrants and keep Letty and her family here,” said Ingrid Mendes, executive director of the Watari Counseling & Support Services Society.
“Every day, Letty offers her skills, gifts and time to make decent and healthy food for the community. She spends her time making sure people are safe and that their basic needs are met. How can it be so easily overlooked and discarded?’
Sanctuary Health said thousands of letters have come in from across the province and many emails have also flooded in from across Canada in support of the family.
Global News has reached out to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for comment.
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