There was good news for Ballinasloe woman Harriet Bruce this week when it was confirmed that herself and her husband, who was deported in error to Brazil in July, are to be reunited in the near future.
Harriet Bruce received an email on Monday morning from a Department of Justice official to say the deportation order on her husband, Kleber Medeiros, would be rescinded and he would be permitted to return to Ireland. He will also be permitted to work.
She said she “nearly fainted” she was “so excited” when she got the email, while Mr Medeiros “nearly jumped through the phone” when she called him in São Paulo to tell him the news.
Ms Bruce has been campaigning to have her husband returned to her, lobbying TDs, Senators and through the media.
She said Mr Medeiros had been deported “in error” and their constitutional rights to a family life and to privacy had been breached. The Health Service Executive agreed their marriage was genuine.
Sinn Feín Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has welcomed the decision of the Minister for Justice to revoke the Deportation Order enforced against Kleber Silva Medeiros which will allow him to return to Ireland again to his wife Harriett Bruce, his job and their home in Ballinasloe
He said he is delighted that the Minister has reversed her decision and that Kleber is now free to return home for Christmas.
“The couple were married in December 2015. Kleber was then deported in July and sent back to Brazil on foot of unsubstantiated allegations about the validity of their marriage. The HSE had delayed the issuing of the couples’ marriage certificate which led to the Department of Justice enforcing a Deportation Order. The HSE then threw out the allegations and stated that there was no reason not to recognise the validity of the marriage. The campaign has been ongoing since to have the order revoked and Kleber returned home.
“I was happy to play a small part in the campaign and I believe that bringing Harriett Bruce and other family members to Leinster House to put their case to TD’s and Senators was crucial in that process,” he said.
He added that the media and the public also played a huge part in highlighting the injustice of this case. I wish to acknowledge the support of members from across the houses and party divides in these efforts as well.
“It is fantastic that the pressure has worked and that the deportation order has been revoked. Questions remain however as to why this was allowed to happen in the first place and why due process was not followed in this case. These are questions that the HSE and the Department of Justice need to answer in due course.
“At the moment though the important thing is that this young couple be reunited as soon as possible and be allowed to get their lives back on track again in Ballinasloe.”
