The Canadian Government has cancelled the deportation plan for Charles Mwangi, a Kenyan national who has been fighting to stay in the country.
Following a robust campaign led by Mwangi and supported by the Migrant Alliance for Change, the authorities have also granted him a one-year resident permit.
Charles Mwangi, the centre of a heated public and legal battle, expressed his relief and gratitude in a statement published by the Migrant Alliance for Change.
"I am so happy today. We have won. My deportation has been cancelled and I am urging the government to regularise everyone who is undocumented because this journey is not a joke," Mwangi stated.
He also extended his thanks to all who supported his cause, saying, "Thank you, everyone, for your support, and for signing my petition. God bless you."
The case of Charles Mwangi drew attention from human rights groups and the public, sparking debates over Canada's immigration and deportation policies.
His situation exposed the challenges faced by undocumented migrants, including legal barriers and the threat of separation from families and communities.
In response to the public outcry and the petition which garnered thousands of signatures, the Canadian government re-evaluated Mwangi's case, leading to the reversal of the initial deportation order.
The one-year permit issued to Mwangi not only allows him to remain in Canada but also provides him an opportunity to apply for further extensions and potentially permanent residency.
The reprieve comes after Mwangi unsuccessfully petitioned the Canadian government to drop his deportation plan.
In a statement shared by the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change on Saturday, August 24, Mwangi expressed his gratitude to those who supported his petition but conveyed the grim reality of his situation.
The Kenyan man disclosed that his legal team had informed him that his appeal to remain in the country had hit a snag.
"I just heard from my lawyer that my stay of removal has been denied. Now, I do not have any other legal option. I have come to a dead end, and now my life is with the minister for immigration, Marc Miller, and the minister of public safety to stop this deportation."
Mwangi, who has lived in Toronto for the past four years, has been vocal about the dangers he would face if deported to Kenya, where homosexuality remains criminalized.
