TIRANA, March 4 – Canadian press reported an Albanian family living in Etobicoke won a last-minute reprieve before being deported to their homeland.
Immigration officials put the deportation of Arjan and Anilda Tabaj and their children — nine-year-old Maria and twin three-year-old sons Vincenzio and Christian — on hold pending a review of their case.
The decision was taken because of fears the family might face danger if returned to Albania.
The failed refugees went into brief hiding to avoid deportation in December 2007, but eventually turned themselves in to authorities, who detained them in a holding centre in Toronto.
Arjan Tabaj and his children were released on bail. Anilda, however, was held on a mental health order.
Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, who was touched by the case, dished out $12,000 of his own money to secure her release on a bond.
The family came to Canada as refugees in 1999. They returned to Albania and came back to Canada in 2001.
Arjan has claimed his life is at risk from socialist government agents in Albania, who shot and almost killed him in 1999 for being a member of a democratic party.
Delayed deportation of Albanians in Canada
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