WATCH: A family from Hungary that came here four years ago lost their deportation appeal yesterday. As Jenifer Palma reports, the Juhasz family only has a few hours left to pack up and leave.
UPDATE: All day Tuesday friends and neighbours of Marianna Juhasz and her two sons came by to help the family pack and share their grief.
The Juhasz family were asking to stay in Canada on humanitarian grounds and yesterday a judge ruled there was no evidence their well-being would be threatened.
The family, who will be boarding a flight to Budapest tomorrow morning, say they’ve been overwhelmed by the incredible support from the community.
Their flight is scheduled to leave around 8:30 a.m. this morning.
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It was an emotional moment for Marianna Juhasz and her two sons late this afternoon after finding out their appeal to stay in Canada for humanitarian reasons had been rejected by the Federal Court of Canada.
Juhasz and her sons Patrik and Tamas fled Hungary four years ago because of domestic violence. There have been concerns around Tamas’ mental health since counsellors said the 12-year-old threatened suicide if returned to Hungary.
Barnes said in his ruling that the concern about Tamas’ psychological health had been fully addressed.
“I do not accept that the applicants have established irreparable harm — they have failed to produce the entire record of their official interactions with the Hungarian Child Welfare authorities,” Barnes said in his court document.
“And Ms. Juhasz did not provide any medical information to corroborate her allegations of an alleged violent assault in June 2010. The absence of corroboratory evidence was also a concern to the officer who made that decision. I draw an adverse inference from this failure and I conclude that Ms. Juhasz was not assaulted as she alleged.”
The judge went on to say any concerns regarding the children’s welfare could be addressed in Hungary or elsewhere in the European Union, if they decided to relocate.
Tamas’ therapist, who has been working with him for a year and a half, is “heartbroken” over the news of their deportation.
“It is their worst nightmare coming true right now,” said Christina Henderson.
“I haven’t seen the family yet but from what I understand Tamas is not able to speak. Marianna and Patrik are in tears, inconsolable… I’m shocked, I’m heartbroken, I’m filled with fear for them.”
Although the Juhasz family were told to expect the worst, they were in shock — and tears — after hearing the decision from their lawyer.
Juhasz’s friends and coworkers have written letters to their MP, and even contacted the Immigration Minister, pleading for the family to stay.
The family has been ordered to be on a flight to Budapest on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m.
WATCH: An Abbotsford mother is facing deportation, despite concerns that being sent back to Hungary could kill one of her sons. Tanya Beja reports.
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