Victory! Alvaro can stay in Canada!

by Joe Mirabella · 2011-05-31 15:45:00 UTC
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After almost 10,000 people signed Michael Erickson's petition on Change.org urging Canadian Immigration officials to allow Alvaro Orozco to stay in Canada, officials granted Alvaro permanent residency based on humanitarian grounds.

Alvaro fled his abusive father in Nicaragua when he was only a teenager. He found a home and supportive community in Toronto, Canada.

On May 13th, Alvaro was arrested and detained by Canadian Immigration. His community quickly organized both online and offline. Nearly 10,000 people signed a petition on Change.org started by Michael Erickson urging Canadian Immigration officials to let Alvaro stay in Canada. Petition signers knew Alvaro faced a death threat from his father for being gay if Alvaro was sent back to Nicaragua.

Organizers also set up a Facebook page with more than 1,000 followers, and a YouTube Channel with videos from the community pleading with immigration to let Alvaro stay.

When news broke on Monday, May 30, that Alvaro was scheduled for deportation on June 2, more than 30 people held an emergency rally outside immigration offices in Canada.

On Tuesday, immigration announced Alvaro's deportation would be postponed until June 9th. Strengthened by the delay, Alvaro's community vowed to continue advocating on his behalf.

Then later Tuesday, news broke that Alvaro would be granted permanent residency on humanitarian grounds.

Canada's Xtra! reported:

After spending almost a month in a detention centre awaiting deportation, Alvaro Orozco will be able to stay in Canada, according to those close to Orozco. The Nicaraguan-born queer artist was granted a stay on humanitarian and compassionate grounds May 31.

That makes Orozco a permanent resident. He will be free to apply to become a Canadian citizen if he so chooses.

While Alvaro was still in detention at the time of this post, he will be released soon according to the Facebook page set-up by his supporters. Plans are also underway for a celebration in Alvaro's honor.

Congratulations to Alvaro and to all of his supporters. Canada is lucky to have a citizen so well loved by his community.

Joe Mirabella is a Change.org Organizing Manager for LGBT rights.

RELATED PETITION

Let Alvaro Stay in Canada
VICTORY!
9,996 People
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