Jose Figueroa is in the last fight he can make to stay in Canada, after a federal judge rejected his application for a judicial review of his immigration case.
“This has left us to convince the Minister of Public Safety that our presence in Canada does not pose a threat,” said Figueroa. “The CBSA [Canadian Border Service Agency] has given us to Oct. 9 to make an application.”

The rejection of his application is devastating and has been hard on his family.

His three children were born in Canada and have all their friends here, and they go to school in Langley.

His son is autistic and receives help here that he could never receive if forced to move to Figueroa’s home country of El Salvador.
While Langley MP Mark Warawa originally said he didn’t want to interfere in immigration decisions, he has since met with Figueroa and has written a letter of support for him to stay in the country.

In his letter to the federal Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews, Warawa writes that “no information presented to me had indicated Mr. Figueroa is currently, or in the last 13 years, acted in a manner that put Canadians at risk. In fact, several people have come forward publicly in support of Mr. Figueroa and his valued citizenship in our community.”

Figueroa is grateful for Warawa’s support.

He’s received support from across the country, from federal MPs, his church in Walnut Grove, his neighbours and even strangers outraged that a contributing member of society is being deported.

A rally of support is being planned in Vancouver for Saturday. The rally will see numerous El Salvadorians there, said Figueroa.
Langley resident Gina Lodge had never met Figueroa, but the shocking story of why he was being deported moved her to action.
“This story angered me more than anything,” said Lodge.
Lodge began a petition, with help from another woman from New Westminster who read Figueroa’s story and felt the same way.
The petition asked Parliament to intervene and reverse the deportation order and “allow him and his family to continue leading productive lives in their Langley home.”

The petition also asked to “address the glaring policy gap that this case has brought to light by ensuring that the FMLN (the current El Salvador government) is clearly and categorically recognized by their ministries, the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Canadian Border Services Agency, and all other Canadian authorities as the legitimate and representative political entity it has been since its inception in 1980.”
Burnaby NDP MP Peter Julian tabled the petition in the House of Commons on June 17 on behalf of Figueroa with signatures from people across the country.
“All I can think about is my kids. I have to to fight for justice for my kids,” said Figueroa on Monday.
Rallies have since been held supporting Figueroa and a documentary film maker donated proceeds to the cause.
It was in May when the Immigration Review Board called in Figueroa to talk to him about his affiliation with the Farabundo Marti para la Liberacion Nacional (or FMLN) movement when he was living in El Salvador during the brutal civil war between 1980 and 1992.
He came to Canada 13 years ago applying and receiving refugee status.
Always believing in the telling the truth and not believing there was anything wrong with his affiliation with the FMLN, he told the board that he was a member of the FMLN and while he didn’t participate in the fighting he did recruit and spread awareness about the party.
That’s when the IRB board ordered him out of the country solely based on his affiliation with the FMLN -- which is the current democratic government of El Salvador, recognized by both the Canadian government and the United Nations as a legitimate party.
The FMLN was responsible for bombing several buildings and a murder of mayor in its efforts to topple the regime which was had death squads who murdered entire families during the war.

A local rally of support for the Figueroas is being planned for sometime in October.