18-Year-Old Ghanaian Student Allowed to Stay in Hamburg
An 18-year-old Ghanaian student at a Hamburg school will not be deported to his home country after all. The Hamburg Hardship Commission supports Joel’s wish to stay in Germany.
“We are calling on the Senate to issue a hardship case so that it becomes a residence permit,” said the chairman of the commission, SPD member of parliament Ekkehard Wysocki, to the dpa news agency.
A spokesman for the immigration authorities added, “After the decision, a residence permit will be issued very quickly.” This is expected to happen in the next few days.
More than 100,000 people signed a petition to prevent the deportation. A teacher and Joel’s classmates at the Nelson Mandela School in Wilhelmsburg initiated the campaign and mobilized support.
Before the commission meeting, they handed over a sign at the town hall with the demand “1, 2, 3, 4 – Joel stays here!”
The decision of the four-member commission, which includes representatives from the Green, CDU, and Left factions, was unanimous, said Wysocki.
The commission can recommend a hardship case if all legal examinations of a deportation order have been completed. The spokesman for the immigration authorities stated that in this case, “the urgent personal reasons of the person concerned for a permanent stay in Germany would be taken into account in particular.”
According to his own statements, Joel came to Hamburg from Ghana to live with his father and sister four years ago as an unaccompanied minor.
When he came of age, his temporary residence permit expired, and he was to be deported. Joel said the deportation would not only have prevented him from completing his school education but also meant separation from his family and the loss of many friends.
He was deeply moved by the support, saying, “I can’t even express my feelings. I didn’t expect this.”
DPA
