To: Minister for justice Helen McEntee

Bring my husband home

Revoke my husband's deportation order

Why is this important?

Hi There, I don't know how many people this will reach as I choose to remain anonymous as I don't want my personal business all over social media or the internet, but here is our story. My Husband came to Ireland from Nigeria in December 2015 we met in March of 2016 and began a relationship in June of the same year (3 months later) My husband applied to the department of justice under the family reunification process due to his brother holding an EU passport as he is living and working in Ireland for a number of years. This application was subsequently refused, he of course was given the opportunity to appeal this decision, which was also refused. During this time our relationship progressed as any relationship would and we decided after 3 years together to married. As a couple where one of us not an EU / EEA citizen we had to undergo a joint and separate interviews by HSE before we could marry so they could determine if we were marrying for immigration purposes. It was a 5 hour interview process in total and we were asked everything from what color is your front door to where we went on our first date. In the end after an 8 month wait and numerous phone calls with additional questions the HSE found that we were not marrying for immigration purposes and that we were a genuine couple and were given the go ahead to marry.

We proceeded to book our wedding date 28th of june 2020, we were busy planning the big day with family and friends we were so excited, However our happiness was short lived. On the 19th of June we received a letter from the DOJ issuing my husband with a deportation order stating that my husband either, had to leave the country by the 19th of July himself or face being detained and forcibly removed. We were absolutely devastated our whole world came down around us.

We made the hardest decision we have ever had to make and decided that he would abide by the order and we would leave by the 19th of July for fear of being arrested and detained and we would continue to fight this with the help our solicitor. We also decided that we would still go ahead and get married on the 28th of June as planned. Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life and while it as a beautiful day that we celebrated with family and friends it was constantly at the back of my mind that he will have to leave in 20 days for god knows how long.

On the 18th of July 2020 we went to Dublin airport and I said goodbye to my husband, it was the most gut wrenching day of our lives. I have seen him once in the time he has been gone. I traveled to Nigeria to see him, the minister in the deportation stated that there is no reason why I cant live in Nigeria, despite the fact the department of foreign affairs advises against all but essential travel to Nigeria due to the safety in particular of non nationals due to kidnappings and the threat of islamist extremist terrorist organization, Boko Haram. It has been over a year since my husband has left Ireland and it is only getting harder, I am utterly devastated as is he. We are not different to any other husband and wife, we love the same as an Irish couple.
My Husband is a highly educated man and has already received offers of employment which we have sent to the DOJ.

Please help us,We have contacted the DOJ numerous times as has our solicitor. We feel we are getting nowhere and don't know what to do. I have contacted the new Minister for justice personally via email and facebook but I have received no response. We need all the help we can get just to be reunited and live our lives together.
Thank you for your time.

Ireland

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