2:10pm Wednesday 3rd December 2008
A Filipino family are preparing for what could be their last Christmas in Pembrokeshire as they face deportation after a long struggle to stay in the county.
Senior care worker Flora Domagas and her family settled in Haverfordwest more than three years ago and after a 17-month battle Flora was delighted when she was granted a work permit in September.
But the family's relief was short-lived and they now face deportation on January 2nd.
The St David and St Patrick church in Haverfordwest, which Flora regularly attends, is joining with friends and politicians to fight to keep the family in Pembrokeshire. Teachers at the children's schools have also submitted letters of support to the Home Secretary.
Father John Patrick Thomas said the family are very committed to the community and are very much loved and supported.
The Domagas' were left terrified after originally being told that they would be deported to Nigeria but the Home Office has since admitted this was a mistake and the family will be returned to the Philippines.
Father Thomas added: "We have written to the Home Secretary asking for them to review the case because the discrepancies in the letter have left us puzzled. The family have never received any money from the state - it has perplexed us the grounds on which they have been refused residency."
Flora said: "The children are especially upset, I hope they will give us a chance to stay. We are very lucky with the support we have had from the parishioners."
Her husband, Ernesto added: "It is very sad. We don't have a home or work in the Philippines. How will I support my family and how can I explain it to my children?
"My eldest son wants to be a doctor but if we are sent back all that ambition is gone."
Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has campaigned tirelessly for the family, helping to secure Flora's work visa on appeal and has said he is doing his best to see the situation is resolved.
"I am appalled at the notification of deportation from the Home Office after very strong indication from the Home Secretary that the situation facing the family had been resolved and we understood that the visa application would be straight forward" said Mr Crabb.
He added: "I have sent urgent letters and e-mails to the immigration minister and the Home Secretary herself asking what is going on. This whole case has been extremely badly handled over the last 18 months and the various twists and turns have left the family in a state of complete confusion."
County councillor Huw George plans to take a petition launched by the church to County Hall and said: They have worked here honestly and very hard, always paid taxes and the system is aware of them. They could have just disappeared. I hope justice will be served, we will do as much as we can to help."
Parishioner Dominic Belli added: "They have been penalised for doing things the right way, it is a travesty. They have obviously settled in the community and are exactly the sort of family Pembrokeshire needs, the unsolicited support they have received proves that.
"It is an injustice, it's inhumane and they need to rethink it."
A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: “All applications for leave to remain are considered in line with the Immigration Rules, taking into account all of the available evidence, including human rights. "Just because an individual has resided in the United Kingdom for work purposes does not mean that they are entitled to stay in the UK indefinitely once their period of work has ended.“
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