A Salvadoran man will celebrate his 49th birthday Wednesday by walking to freedom from a British Columbia church where he took refuge for two years to avoid deportation for political activities in his native country over 20 years ago.
Jose Figueroa had been living in the Walnut Grove Lutheran Church in the Vancouver suburb of Langley, but last week Immigration Minister John McCallum granted him an exemption to remain in Canada on humanitarian and compassionate rounds.
Figueroa learned the news on Monday in a letter from immigration authorities.
Figueroa came to Canada in 1997 and claimed refugee status.
He was open about his involvement with the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) an organization involved in the Salvadoran Civil War that later became a left-wing political party when peace accords were signed in 1992.
But in 2010, immigration officials ruled him “inadmissible “and moved to deport him.
His wife and three Canadian-born children were allowed to stay, but he was told to return to El Salvador and parent by Skype.
“It was joy because this is something that we were waiting for for a long time,’ said Riguera after he received his good news. “Finally after 18 years we will be home.”
He will celebrate Christmas with his family.
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