Tuesday 30 August 2016

Appeal to stop deportation of 77 year old Parkinson's disease sufferer


Appeal from M. Nadeem to support his petition LINK

My father, Hakeen Muhammad Haleem, is a frail ailing 77 year old. He has been staying with me and my family, at our expense, since 2010. He is a widower with a number of serious health issues who needs around the clock care.  Now, because he is a Pakistani citizen, the Home Office are trying to deport him -- even though it would mean he would live completely alone with nobody to care for him.

My father has suffered from vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease, heart problems, angina, diabetes, vision limited to one eye, and of very poor quality, and has in the past had a stroke. There is no one to care for him except myself and my wife.

I am appealing to you that my father is suffering severely physically and severely mentally impaired.
I have repeatedly assured the Home Office that I and my wife will take full financial responsibility for my father’s welfare and that we have no desire or intention to claim benefits on his behalf. We only wish to be allowed to care for our father and provide a safe and loving home for him with us for his remaining years.

The present immigration rule on adult dependent relatives introduced in 2012[1] makes it almost impossible for British citizens to bring their elderly parents to live with them in the UK in their declining years. Despite these rules earlier this year 92 year old Myrtle Cothill from South Africa who was given permission to stay in the UK after more than 150,000 people signed a petition protesting against a deportation order. 

My father was born a British subject, as were his parents, surely the Home Office can extend the compassion it has showed Mrs Cothill to my father in his time of need?

We call on the Home Office and the Government to:

1)   Grant Haleem leave to remain in the UK to live out what days he has left under the care of his son and daughter in law;
2)   Reverse the amendment of the immigration rule on adult dependant relatives which came into force in July 2012 radically changing the previous rule (which was in place for over 40yrs) which allowed British nationals and other settled persons (i.e. persons with indefinite leave to remain) to be joined by their parents/grandparents aged over 65yrs if they could be accommodated and financially supported by their children/grandchildren without reliance on the public purse.
3)   Reinstate the previous immigration rule on family reunion to enable others like Haleem to be granted leave to remain in the UK.

Footnote [1] The new immigration rule only allows British citizens, and other (non-EU) settled persons, to be joined by relatives where the long-term care they require is either not available or not affordable in their country of residence, but privately payable by them in the UK – this means that the only family members who will be allowed to join their families in the UK will be those who live in countries where medical care is more expensive than in the UK or entirely non-existent.

1 comment:

Nan. said...

Just signed the petition on change.org bringing it to 22,730.

I find myself once again aghast that HMG continues to act in contravention of every facet of human decency. Despite the number of such instances, I doubt I will ever get used to the casual misuse of power that successive governments deploy with such careless ease.

In short, HMG wishes to deport a frail, elderly man with dementia and multiple long-term conditions rather than allow him to live out what remains of his life with his children who have cared for him since 2010 without recourse to public funds.

Do the policy-makers not have dependent relatives of their own? Where is HMG's grasp of the Christian tenet of "Honour their Mother and Father....." ? You will notice I keep refering to HMG - Her Majesty's Government - Her Majesty being the Head of the Church of England, Christian teachings, British values, etc......you see where I'm going with this?

How about HMG setting an example and actually demonstrating those British values it constantly proclaims? If there were an award for bringing Britain into disrepute, HMG would take first, second and third prize.