URGENT Help Stop the Deportation of Jose Figueroa and his family.
BC refugee claimant to be deported, after calling Canada home for 13 years, for his affiliation with the FMLN!
José Figueroa is a Salvadorean married father of three Canadian born children who has lived in Langley, BC for over 13 years but who is now facing a deportation order due to his affiliation 20 years ago with the Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation (FMLN) in El Salvador.
At that time, while a university student, José was working with his student union to speak out against the human rights abuses of a violent repressive government that was using death squads to kill any opposition. When José came to Canada, he told Canadian authorities about his association with the FMLN, a coalition of opposition forces fighting against the murderous Salvadorean military government. The Canadian government knew for 13 years that José had been associated with the FMLN, and it never expressed any concerns - until now. So many years later, Canadian authorities are claiming that the FMLN is a terrorist organization and that José must leave because his association with the organization 20 years ago makes him a security threat.
The FMLN, currently the governing political party in El Salvador, is not a terrorist organization and never has been. It is wrong for the Canadian government to deport José for speaking out for democracy and human rights in El Salvador. José is not a security threat. On the contrary, he is a model citizen who has been a member of the Langley Lutheran church for 13 years. If he is deported this will be devastating for him and his family. What's more, his son has autism and if he is uprooted to El Salvador will not have any of the vital special needs supports available to him now.
The Canadian government's decision to deport José has serious implications not only for José and his family but for all current and former refugee in Canada who were ever involved in movements in their home countries to speak out for democracy and against oppressive and violent regimes.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE FIGUEROA FAMILY:
MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE PETITION:
Email addresses:José Figueroa is a Salvadorean married father of three Canadian born children who has lived in Langley, BC for over 13 years but who is now facing a deportation order due to his affiliation 20 years ago with the Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation (FMLN) in El Salvador.
At that time, while a university student, José was working with his student union to speak out against the human rights abuses of a violent repressive government that was using death squads to kill any opposition. When José came to Canada, he told Canadian authorities about his association with the FMLN, a coalition of opposition forces fighting against the murderous Salvadorean military government. The Canadian government knew for 13 years that José had been associated with the FMLN, and it never expressed any concerns - until now. So many years later, Canadian authorities are claiming that the FMLN is a terrorist organization and that José must leave because his association with the organization 20 years ago makes him a security threat.
The FMLN, currently the governing political party in El Salvador, is not a terrorist organization and never has been. It is wrong for the Canadian government to deport José for speaking out for democracy and human rights in El Salvador. José is not a security threat. On the contrary, he is a model citizen who has been a member of the Langley Lutheran church for 13 years. If he is deported this will be devastating for him and his family. What's more, his son has autism and if he is uprooted to El Salvador will not have any of the vital special needs supports available to him now.
The Canadian government's decision to deport José has serious implications not only for José and his family but for all current and former refugee in Canada who were ever involved in movements in their home countries to speak out for democracy and against oppressive and violent regimes.
Walnut Grove Luthern Church support for Jose
Click here to access more information about Jose's immigration case
The murder of Oscar Romero and the political context of El Salvador at the time of the war Click here to access more information about Jose's immigration case
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August, 2010
August, 2010
Figueroa Case: What you can do 
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE FIGUEROA FAMILY:Donate: The legal costs of challenging José's deportation order are high, likely around $15,000, a sum the Figueroa family simply does not have at its disposal. The family's situation is urgent, and any contribution is welcome.Download the petition: This petition is being presented before Parliament. Please sign the petition and/or help gather signatures for it.
Send an email to the Ministers of Public Safety and Immigration: Voice your concern to two key Cabinet Ministers who can intervene in José's case.
Send an email to the Ministers of Public Safety and Immigration: Voice your concern to two key Cabinet Ministers who can intervene in José's case.
Contact Langley MP Mark Warawa: Send him a note or give him a call asking him to do what he can to allow José and his family to remain in Canada.
Sign the online declaration: This is a declaration in solidarity with the FMLN and Salvadoreans everywhere.
The Figeroa Family Legal Fund:
Cheques payable to:
Jose Figueroa
c/o Walnut Grove Lutheran Church,
20530 88 Avenue,
Langley, BC
V1M 2Y6
Cheques payable to:Jose Figueroa
c/o Walnut Grove Lutheran Church,
20530 88 Avenue,
Langley, BC
V1M 2Y6
MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THE PETITION:
If you are able to help gather signatures for the petition please contact:
a) Sasha Wood in the lower mainland, BC (we are also willing to drive the petition out to people and/or pick up copies of completed petitions)
a) Sasha Wood in the lower mainland, BC (we are also willing to drive the petition out to people and/or pick up copies of completed petitions)
Once you have gathered at least three valid signatures, please drop off or mail the original copies of the petition [not photocopies] to:
Walnut Grove Lutheran church,
20530 88th Avenue
________________________________________
Walnut Grove Lutheran church,
20530 88th Avenue
Langley, BC
V1M 2Y6
Please submit as many petitions by as soon as possible.
For any questions regarding the petition or other ways you can help please contact
Sasha Wood, write Jose directly or contact Walnut Grove Lutheran Church.V1M 2Y6
Please submit as many petitions by as soon as possible.
For any questions regarding the petition or other ways you can help please contact
________________________________________
Ministers: Toews.V@parl.gc.ca ; Kenney.J@parl.gc.ca
Copies (Cc) to: Harper.S@parl.gc.ca ; Kent.P@parl.gc.ca ; Holland.M@parl.gc.ca ; Bevilacqua.M@parl.gc.ca ; Rae.B@parl.gc.ca ; Davies.D@parl.gc.ca ; Chow.O@parl.gc.ca ; Dewar.P@parl.gc.ca ; mourama@parl.gc.ca ; stcyrt@parl.gc.ca ; Deschamps.J@parl.gc.ca Please also include your own MP, whose contact information you can find here.
Please also send a copy of your letter to Mr. Figueroa’s church ( wglc@telus.net ) and to Barrio Nuevo (barrionuevo.canada@gmail.com ).
Note: Parts of this blog are gratefully reprinted from a Toronto area groups website, Barrio Neuvo, that is also working to help challenge the Immigration and Refugee Board's [IRB] decision to deport Jose. http://www.barrio-neuvo.org/
