Right now a woman is in the hospital facing complications from a disease she fears will take her life. Her husband is by her side, but not for long. He is about to be deported.
“It is very very hard,” said Ded Rranxburgaj of his situation.
He showed 7 Action News the ticket he hoped he wouldn’t have to buy. It is a plane ticket that will take him back to Albania on his deadline for deportation in January.
The Southgate man had to show it to Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officials this week or face arrest.
His wife Flora Rranxburgaj is ill in the hospital with a serious infection. She spoke to 7 Action News in October.
She said she and her husband came to America in 2001 hoping to be granted asylum after suffering religious persecution. Then she got sick with multiple sclerosis.
In 2009 they learned they would not be given asylum. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials allowed the family to stay for humanitarian reasons due to her illness.
In the meantime, she suffered a stroke and become sicker than ever. Now her husband is being told he has to leave the country by January 25.
“The government, it is sending me back. You know it is killing her. You know that. Everybody knows that,” said Mr. Rranxburgaj.
ICE says the family didn’t go through all the legal processes when they came to this country, but did not comment on why they no longer are being allowed to stay for humanitarian reasons.
Ded Rranxburgaj says he tried to become a legal citizen and has followed all orders from ICE. He has accepted he will not be able to stay in the country long-term. He is asking that he be allowed to stay while his wife needs him. She is so ill she would not be allowed on a plane to travel back to Albania, so she cannot be deported. She also relies on her husband to fund her medical care and physically take care of her.
He says he has worked legally, pays his taxes and pays for all of his wife’s medical care. He doesn’t know how she will get care when he is gone.
“To leave my wife to die, that is very very hard,” said Rranxburgaj.
He has sons in high school and in college. He says they can’t take care of themselves and their mom financially and physically without him.
“It just very frustrating because I don’t know what to do if my dad isn’t here,” said Eric Rranxburgaj, 15.
His attorney says there are no motions to be filed to fight this. The hope is the public will call lawmakers and ask them to call on ICE to have humanity.
