9 Year Old Canadian asks PM for help from a Texas cell

[photon]

Poor kid...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

Call it international limbo. Detained by U.S. Customs officials after their flight to Toronto made an unscheduled stop on American soil nearly four weeks ago, Kevin and his Iranian parents, Majid and Masomeh, feel they are being held hostage not only by the physical parameters of Hutto, but by the politics of nationality.

“We can't go home because I am Canadian but my parents are not,” Kevin said in a telephone interview with The Globe and Mail — no personal interviews have been granted.

[octothorp]

Really strange story. Would this have happened had they been travelling with valid passports, or was it because they were using fake passports that they ended up being detained? The boy is a Canadian citizen and I would say it's Ottawa's responsibility to intervene. It's strange that the boy is a Canadian citizen but basically can't live in Canada because his parents aren't citizens; I understand that this law is probably set up to prevent refugees from having children while in Canada as a way of gaining citizenship. Still seems wrong, though.

[Temporary_User]

why is this boy's letter colored in with a bunch of different colours?
If this is indeed the original letter I dont get why he coloured it in like that.
Its obvious from looking at it that it was originally done in pencil, but then coloured over.
I cant recall being nine, but I think your over the age when you would do something like this. I think he coloured it like that to try and act younger to get more sympathy.
Also this brings up the question: The boy could come to Canada, but the parents cant. would it be better for him to stay with his parents or be given up for adoption here in Canada?

[RatherDashing]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

why is this boy's letter colored in with a bunch of different colours?
If this is indeed the original letter I dont get why he coloured it in like that.
Its obvious from looking at it that it was originally done in pencil, but then coloured over.
I cant recall being nine, but I think your over the age when you would do something like this. I think he coloured it like that to try and act younger to get more sympathy.

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the letter. Maybe his parents felt it would garner more sympathy by making him look younger?

Anyways, it is a very bizarre situation. It seems strange that they had to clear customs in order to get back on their flight. Does anybody know if this is a normal procedure?

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

why is this boy's letter colored in with a bunch of different colours?
If this is indeed the original letter I dont get why he coloured it in like that.
Its obvious from looking at it that it was originally done in pencil, but then coloured over.
I cant recall being nine, but I think your over the age when you would do something like this. I think he coloured it like that to try and act younger to get more sympathy.

Originally Posted by RatherDashing

I was thinking the same thing when I saw the letter. Maybe his parents felt it would garner more sympathy by making him look younger?

Okay, I love the CSI marathons on Spike just as much as the next guy but you chaps need to cutback on your CSI intake! In the article it said he's in class for four hours and only one of those is actually instructional, that gives the kids plenty of time (three hours worth) to do childish activities such as colouring. It could be as simple as he's a creative kid and likes to make things pretty! This is a sad case though... It would be great to have a law where the kid's citizenship can help the parents but like someone said that could easily get abused. It doesn't seem like that's the case here though so I think an exception could be made.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Addick

Okay, I love the CSI marathons on Spike just as much as the next guy but you chaps need to cutback on your CSI intake! In the article it said he's in class for four hours and only one of those is actually instructional, that gives the kids plenty of time (three hours worth) to do childish activities such as colouring.

Yeah, he is probably just bored. Take a bored nine year old, give them markers, and they will colour anything.

No doubt that the parents coached him a little though.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

why is this boy's letter colored in with a bunch of different colours?
If this is indeed the original letter I dont get why he coloured it in like that.
Its obvious from looking at it that it was originally done in pencil, but then coloured over.
I cant recall being nine, but I think your over the age when you would do something like this. I think he coloured it like that to try and act younger to get more sympathy.
Also this brings up the question: The boy could come to Canada, but the parents cant. would it be better for him to stay with his parents or be given up for adoption here in Canada?

This child's education has been severely compromised, so the fact that he's nine doesn't mean much. Besides, nine-year-olds do do this kind of thing. Maybe you didn't, but some of them do. And he probably thought it looked nice, and didn't want to send a letter to the Prime Minister in boring old pencil.

I'm sure he's neither cynical nor sophisticated enough to "try to act younger to get more sympathy". And his parents weren't likely trying to make him look younger because he actually is young. What's the point of making a nine-year-old seem young?

Anyway, thinking about the logistics of this poor kid writing this letter from a maximum security prison is very unpleasant. I hope the bureaucrats can get him out of there and back into a normal environment, then do something for his parents.

[Temporary_User]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

No doubt that the parents coached him a little though.

Yeah the parents are coaching this kid a little

“My biggest wish is to go to Canada and be free, to go to my school, go for my books,” Kevin said, his father's voice audible in the background.

I'm sure his father isnt speaking english in the background here, telling his son what to say. I can tell you that no 9 year old would say this. He wants to goto Canada to be with his friends sure. he doesnt care about school or books.

Maybe the kid was just bored and decided to color everything, but something tells me parents or lawyers had something to do with this.

Just to be clear, I am all for this kid being free. I just have issue on how the story is being turned into a sappy story about a kid being jailed. the parents fled their country and now think they should have the right to go back to Canada, because they had a baby here.

[Shawnski]

On a follow up to this story, the family are being allowed into Canada again.

A nine-year-old Canadian boy and his family will be allowed to return to Canada after being detained for weeks in a Texas immigration detention centre.

The boy, identified as Kevin Yourdkhani, has been detained in the U.S. with his parents, both Iranian citizens, since Feb. 4, when their Toronto-bound flight from Guyana was diverted to Puerto Rico when a passenger had a heart attack.

According to published reports, the parents were travelling on fake Greek passports in an attempt to return to Canada to apply for refugee status.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/n...bd6fceb665&k=0

[mykalberta]

How does this kid have Canadian citizenship but his parents do not?

Under no circumstances should the parents be granted Canadian citizenship just because of this kid - allowing the kid back in should be a separate matter - if he is allowed back in put him in foster care. I pay enough in EI premuims, I dont need to support a kid and his two cell donors.

Iranians travelling on fake Greek Passports travelling from Guyana - its not wonder the US detained them - they should be sent back to Guyana if anything.

MYK

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

How does this kid have Canadian citizenship but his parents do not?

I guess you missed the original article (it is behind the paywall now).

They left Iran in '95 and applied for political asylum.
The kid was born in '97.
In Dec, 2005 (while the kid was in grade 3!) their application was denied and they were deported.

Upon their arrival in Tehran, Majid said he was taken away from his family to a prison cell. For three months, he was detained, beaten and tortured, he said. When he was released, the three were reunited, and, with the help of friends and relatives, they connected with a people smuggler in Tehran.


“I pay him $40,000 to [get us] to Canada. It included everything: fake passports, tickets. He got $20,000 in Iran, and $20,000 in Turkey.”

He was the manager of a pizza place in TO.

[Ford Prefect]

I can't access the article ... does it say why the parents were deported from Canada in the first place? Or why they didn't obtain real passports rather than fake passports? It's too bad that a nine-year-old is caught up in this, but it seems like there might be some extenuating circumstances involving the parents.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Ford Prefect

I can't access the article ... does it say why the parents were deported from Canada in the first place? Or why they didn't obtain real passports rather than fake passports? It's too bad that a nine-year-old is caught up in this, but it seems like there might be some extenuating circumstances involving the parents.

The original article says (here is a cache I found)

Kevin attended a Toronto school until Grade 3. Meanwhile, his parents were seeking refugee status, based on fear of persecution in Iran, but their application was denied and, in December, 2005, the family of three was deported.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

if he is allowed back in put him in foster care. I pay enough in EI premuims, I dont need to support a kid and his two cell donors.

You're all heart dude...

...chances are that you are making a decent life for yourself in a peaceful country with little/no chance of being tortured ever...and you think that the best course of action is to break up a family, put the kid in foster care and send the parents back to an uncertain fate?

So many people in the world have gotten a raw deal, and if I have to pay a some of my tax money to improve the quality of life for human beings through support of refugees I am not going to choke on my Copenhagen...

[mykalberta]

Does the article mention why they were denied?

There has to be a reason, the man obviously has some sort of skills enough to remain gainfully employed so there has to be a reason for denying their application. So either the Canadian government must of believed his claim was BS or he was suspect.

Its too bad this kid has been caught in the beaurocratic nightmare that is Canadian Immigration.

I still stand by my previous post, if they were denied there must have been a reason - if the reason is still valid then allow the kid but not the family.

MYK

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Fozzie_DeBear

You're all heart dude...

...chances are that you are making a decent life for yourself in a peaceful country with little/no chance of being tortured ever...and you think that the best course of action is to break up a family, put the kid in foster care and send the parents back to an uncertain fate?

So many people in the world have gotten a raw deal, and if I have to pay a some of my tax money to improve the quality of life for human beings through support of refugees I am not going to choke on my Copenhagen...

All heart, do you pay EI premiums? The article was on pay so I wasnt able to see the fact that the father was gainfully employed.

Original premis still stands, kid should be allowed in, parents should not if the rejection of their claim is still valid.

Cry me a river about persecution, for all I know the guy was fleeing cause he slept with some Sultans wife and didnt want his little dude cut off. I dont know what his claim was or why it was rejected, if that was known or if he made that public then I would comment further.

Yah, living in Iran is probably a tough life, but he has no one to blame for his own situation hut himslef and possibly his parents.

MYK

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

All heart, do you pay EI premiums? The article was on pay so I wasnt able to see the fact that the father was gainfully employed.

Original premis still stands, kid should be allowed in, parents should not if the rejection of their claim is still valid.

MYK

Of course I play plenty in EI and I'm unreasonably taxed too, but money spent effectively helping those who need help doesn't bother me at all.

LMAO...you are all upset over EI premiums...but have no empathy for someone possibly facing a family breakup and (if the worst case is true) possibly torture...and then you say you don't know much about the guys situation...but it is his (and his parents fault)...

'nuff said

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

All heart, do you pay EI premiums? The article was on pay so I wasnt able to see the fact that the father was gainfully employed.

Original premis still stands, kid should be allowed in, parents should not if the rejection of their claim is still valid.

Cry me a river about persecution, for all I know the guy was fleeing cause he slept with some Sultans wife and didnt want his little dude cut off. I dont know what his claim was or why it was rejected, if that was known or if he made that public then I would comment further.

Yah, living in Iran is probably a tough life, but he has no one to blame for his own situation hut himslef and possibly his parents.

MYK

Wow.

So since you couldn't see the article you are justified in believing he was a leech on the system?

Since when he got back to Iran he was thrown in jail, perhaps his fear of persecution was justified.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

All heart, do you pay EI premiums? The article was on pay so I wasnt able to see the fact that the father was gainfully employed.

Original premis still stands, kid should be allowed in, parents should not if the rejection of their claim is still valid.

Cry me a river about persecution, for all I know the guy was fleeing cause he slept with some Sultans wife and didnt want his little dude cut off. I dont know what his claim was or why it was rejected, if that was known or if he made that public then I would comment further.

Yah, living in Iran is probably a tough life, but he has no one to blame for his own situation hut himslef and possibly his parents.

MYK

That's not a premis(sic).

You are a real, live cliche of a man.

Maybe he was persecuted in Iran for shortening some guys libel pants.

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Seriously maybe this guy is worried that he will face terrible forms of persecution back in his country...like EI premiums....