Wife of seriously ill British man threatened with deportation as husband ‘fears for his life’

[Denim]

Exclusive: Mark Leonardi, who suffers from end-stage kidney disease and epilepsy, left feeling ‘lost’ after his wife of four years was detained in Yarl’s Wood and threatened with removal to Thailand

 

 

A seriously ill British man says he is fearing for his life after the Home Office detained his wife and threatened her with imminent deportation.

Mark Leonardi, 62, who suffers from end-stage kidney disease and epilepsy, said he had no one to care for him after his wife of four years and sole carer, Ngam Ngon Leonardi, was detained in Yarl’s Wood two weeks ago and told she would be removed to her native Thailand.

 

Ms Leonardi, 52, was set to be deported at 4pm on Tuesday, but less than two hours before the flight – and shortly after The Independentapproached the Home Office for comment on the case – her removal was deferred. She is still being held in detention and is liable for deportation.

 

MPs and charities argued that the decision to detain and deport Ms Leonardi was in “nobody’s interest” and said it was “beyond the pale” for the Home Office to separate a wife who cares for her sick husband.

 

The couple, who met 15 years ago and got married in 2015, have moved between north London and Thailand throughout their married life. They came to the UK last May, with a plan to go back to Thailand after Ms Leonardi’s six-month tourist visa expired.

 

But during this time, Mr Leonardi became seriously ill due to kidney failure, meaning he had to

go on dialysis, and the couple decided that – due to both difficulty for him to travel and the lack of treatment available in Thailand – Ms Leonardi would apply for longer-term immigration status in the UK.

 

Her application was rejected three months later. While the Home Office accepted the couple had a “genuine and subsisting” relationship, it said the treatment for Mr Leonardi’s medical condition was available in Thailand, adding: “Even if this was not the case, it is open to [Mr Leonardi] to remain in the UK to receive the medical treatment he needs, while [Ms Leonardi]returns to Thailand to obtain the correct entry clearance. 

The department also argued that, if he did not have friends or family to care for him in the UK, Mr Leonardi could “access the NHS and any care or support requirements he may have through his local authority”.

 

Speaking to The Independent, Mr Leonardi, who has launched a petitionagainst the Home Office’s decision to deport his wife, said the only family he had in the UK was his 87-year-old mother, whom he could not rely on for care.

He added: “I’ve got no one else. I need someone to look after me. I get epilepsy at night time. If I’m by myself and I get a seizure, it will kill me. I’ve been OK so far, but I’m really scared. I feel lost. 

“My wife was looking after me. She is also my best friend. When I heard she had been detained I was devastated. Oh my god, it was a shock. She was going to report with the Home Office and they just detained her and locked her up. She’s not a runaway risk.

 

“It’s going to be hard, especially shopping and things. If I have a fit and fall over, and I’ve got no one there, I think that would kill me.”

The couple’s MP, Tulip Siddiq, who had made representations to the Home Office on behalf of the couple, said she was “delighted” that my Ms Leonardi’s removal had been granted temporary reprieve, but added: “We will not rest until she is guaranteed to stay in the UK and back at home with her husband. 

“To separate a couple of 15 years has been cruel enough, but to separate a wife who cares for her seriously ill husband is beyond the pale. It is yet another case that illustrates the cruelty at the heart of the UK’s immigration regime.”

 

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott described the case as “yet more unnecessary cruelty from the Tory Home Office”, adding: ”The government needs to realise that they cannot continue to treat people like this. At some point there will be consequences for their inhumane policies.” 

Mary Atkinson, families together campaign officer at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, said: “According to the Home Office, supporting your partner of 15 years through end-stage kidney failure is not an exceptional circumstance. We think most people would disagree. 

“When Mr and Ms Leonardi married, they vowed to support each other in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. The Home Office must stop standing in their way and immediately release Ms Leonardi, letting her return home to support her husband at his time of greatest need.”

The Home Office has been approached for comment. 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/wife-deportation-removal-home-office-thailand-mark-ngam-ngon-leonardi-a9027421.html

 

 

[Denim]

Clearly, wherever you decide to live , immigration regulations can really stitch you up if you fall foul of the rules.

[ianezy0]

A bit of empathy is required here. Sometimes you got to look beyond the rules

[Pib]

It's like being between a rock and a hard place.   Immigration rules and medical coverage in two different countries affect each person differently.   

[BestB]

7 minutes ago, Denim said:

Clearly, wherever you decide to live , immigration regulations can really stitch you up if you fall foul of the rules.

 Very true but at least in countries like UK have appeals and systems in place . In Thailand it’s up to the IO on the spot to decide your faith. Most you could achieve is seeing superior officer who without a doubt will back up initial decision.

 

it is indeed sad but at least they are getting assistance from many officials 

[Greenside]

A reminder, if any were needed, that the current climate of hostility to immigrants of any kind is not just confined to Thailand.  Ashamed of the UK in this matter and worried that should returning to England become necessary due to the exchange rate (and who knows what else Boris might trigger) my familiy may face a similar heartless and intransigent reception.

[Denim]

13 minutes ago, Denim said:

While the Home Office accepted the couple had a “genuine and subsisting” relationship, it said the treatment for Mr Leonardi’s medical condition was available in Thailand, adding

 

Which of course would be absolutely free for an Englishman .

[richiejom]

So lets get this clear, on one side we have this inhumane disgrace on the part of UK immigration(not to mention the requirements to even get entry clearance for a native Brit's foreign spouse) and on the other side EU nationals can bring in their spouses from anywhere in the world with no requirements. You can't make it up

[faraday]

17 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

Which of course would be absolutely free for an Englishman .

Absolutely. So the HO giving that as a reason not to let her stay, is daft!

[sammieuk1]

These rules are for a very good reason to keep the poor out there's enough of them on the streets soiling our brogues says the tory millionaires ???? 

[richiejom]

2 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

These rules are for a very good reason to keep the poor out there's enough of them on the streets soiling our brogues says the tory millionaires ???? 

Yes they only want the type of poor which can work ridiculous hours for peanuts in their retail warehouses , they can enter with absolutely no checks and stay indefinitely

[thirdleg]

A western man (on overstay) caring for a sick Thai woman would be arrested without even a goodbye and dropped into a pit of obscurity, maybe for weeks until the Embassy turned up or family intervened with cash.

 

[Denim]

4 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

A western man (on overstay) caring for a sick Thai woman would be arrested without even a goodbye and dropped into a pit of obscurity, maybe for weeks until the Embassy turned up or family intervened with cash.

 

 

Two wrongs don't make a right.

[thirdleg]

1 minute ago, Denim said:

 

Two wrongs don't make a right.

So Thailand is allowed to get away with treating foreigners like animals without recourse?

[thasoss]

really immigration depts. the world over are all the same.."one step removed from the gestapo of old"...dare i say or ask the question "would this happen if they were from the middle east or africa"?...so non PC i know.

[Denim]

2 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

So Thailand is allowed to get away with treating foreigners like animals without recourse?

Who is treating you like an animal ??

 

[brokenbone]

Just now, Denim said:

Who is treating you like an animal ??

 

his gf

[evadgib]

Does the ol' '3 paragraphs plus a link' no longer apply?

 

She's in UK on a tourist visa. All they're asking her to do is to return to Thailand and apply properly which won't be easy as a deported overstayer.

Edited July 31, 2019 by evadgib

[thirdleg]

2 minutes ago, Denim said:

Who is treating you like an animal ??

 

people who are caught on overstay get treated like animals, I never talked about myself

[richiejom]

8 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

So Thailand is allowed to get away with treating foreigners like animals without recourse?

This thread is about married people, people who have made a commitment to stay with each other.  Both immigration's are making it increasingly difficult for families to live their lives...The UK i/o doesn't seem to know anything about the situation here, on top of that they didn't help us by axing the income letter.  

The declaration of human rights on having a family is being infringed by stealth

Edited July 31, 2019 by richiejom

[thirdleg]

Just now, richiejom said:

This thread is about married people, people who have made a commitment to stay with each other.  Both immigrations are making it increasingly difficult for families to live their lives...The UK i/o doesn't seem to know anything about the situation here, on top of that they didn't help us by axing the income letter. 

They couldn't continue with the income letter as TI wanted the embassies to verify info that would have contravened data protection laws.

Married men get dragged away from their families here if on overstay, TI couldn't give a rat's arse and most on here are cheering them on!

[richiejom]

1 minute ago, thirdleg said:

They couldn't continue with the income letter as TI wanted the embassies to verify info that would have contravened data protection laws.

Married men get dragged away from their families here if on overstay, TI couldn't give a rat's arse and most on here are cheering them on!

Yes I'm definitely not defending the I/O here.  On that note aren't some countries still offering income affidavits?

[thirdleg]

I actually think she should be able to look after him until he dies but the way the Thais treat foreigners will have an affect on the UK's decision.

She can go back to Thailand and blame her own immigration policies that have far reaching ramifications 

[Orton Rd]

Every case breaking the rules has a sob story, she has to go home.

[thirdleg]

1 minute ago, richiejom said:

Yes I'm definitely not defending the I/O here.  On that note aren't some countries still offering income affidavits?

Yeh but I don't know the ins and outs of everybody's data protection laws.

Plus I just think the main countries were pissed off with TI and told them to shove it. 

TI are an intransigent bunch of <deleted> 

Edited July 31, 2019 by thirdleg

[evadgib]

17 minutes ago, thirdleg said:

I actually think she should be able to look after him until he dies but the way the Thais treat foreigners will have an affect on the UK's decision.

She can go back to Thailand and blame her own immigration policies that have far reaching ramifications 

<deleted post, I updated #18>

Edited July 31, 2019 by evadgib

[richiejom]

12 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Every case breaking the rules has a sob story, she has to go home.

And this is coming from someone who's not married right? ????   Looking at your recent posts on threads such as 'seeking a divorce' that appears to be the case.

Edited July 31, 2019 by richiejom

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, Greenside said:

A reminder, if any were needed, that the current climate of hostility to immigrants of any kind is not just confined to Thailand.  Ashamed of the UK in this matter and worried that should returning to England become necessary due to the exchange rate (and who knows what else Boris might trigger) my familiy may face a similar heartless and intransigent reception.

This is true, but many of us are calling for reciprocation regarding immigration law and here we have the perfect example of that.

However, like yourself, it doesn't hold well with me and that is possibly the difference between 'us' and 'them.'

 

We care, however Thai immigration ....... not so much. ????

[Orton Rd]

3 hours ago, richiejom said:

And this is coming from someone who's not married right? ????   Looking at your recent posts on threads such as 'seeking a divorce' that appears to be the case.

What has marriage and divorce got to do with it, I have met all the immigration rules here and have never been divorced. She is in breech of the UK immigration laws, lucky for her she has not been dumped in an IDC, fined and blacklisted, the UK is rather more understanding.

[Denim]

Mods might as well combine this with the ' official ' one that is now running.