Local TD calls for immediate review of deportation order for Carlow College student
The student is being asked to leave the State by December 29
Sinn Fein TD for Carlow/Kilkenny has said that that the issuing of a deportation order to a student of Carlow College, Michael Chrichton Usiku, is "unjust".
Deputy Kathleen Funchion is asking Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to review his case as a matter of urgency and lift the deportation order so that he may complete his degree which he has self-financed.
She said: "I have written to Minister Charlie Flanagan asking for the immediate review of local Carlow resident Michael Chrichton Usiku who has been issued with a deportation order and is being asked to leave the State by December 29, 2019.
"Michael has been studying at Carlow College since September 2019 and is taking the Social Political and Community studies degree programme.
"On December 20, 2018 he wrote a letter to the Department of Justice asking if he could enrol on a degree programme in Community Studies. The Department responded requesting him to produce relevant documents to process his case.
"Due to waiting for confirmation from the CAO that he had secured a place at Carlow College, there was a delay in his submitting one piece of documentation – even though the College subsequently offered Michael a place.
"During that time as he was waiting for his CAO confirmation, he received a Section 3 letter from the Department of Justice in June. This stated that he failed to produce the required documentation on time."
Deputy Funchion added: "Michael wrote to the Minister for Justice explaining the reason for his non submission of all the required documentation. He could not produce a letter of registration from the College as he had could not register until he was offered a place by the CAO.
"He was not offered a place at this college until the round 1 offers came out on August 15, 2019.
"It would appear that because he could not complete his submission of documentation, he was issued with a deportation order on Monday December 2nd 2019.
"Given the unfortunate sequence of events in his enrolment at Carlow College and the reasonable reason for the delay in his CAO application, I am asking Minister Flanagan to review his case and lift the deportation order until he completes his degree programme.
"Michael intends to return to his home country, Malawi once completed his studies. It must be emphasised, Michael has self-financed his education in Ireland to date and has received no funding from the State.
"I have had many representations and lobbies to my office from concerned fellow students at Carlow College who are asking for assistance on his behalf.
"A motion regarding Michael’s case was raised at the last meeting of the Class Representative Council at Carlow College was supported unanimously. The college community are supporting Michael and are pleading that his case be reviewed urgently."