An Okotoks couple fears one of its family members could be deported.
Laszlo and Viktoria Radi have raised Viktoria’s younger sister, Kitti Toris, for the last 10 years and are her legal guardians.
The 16-year-old was born in Hungary, but has been in Canada since 2016.
On Monday, the Radis received two letters from Immigration Canada, denying the teen’s application for a temporary status application and student visa, and saying she can no longer stay in the country.
“We don’t know what we can do,” Laszlo Radi said.
No reason was given for the denial, according to Radi.
The teen’s biological mother is estranged from the Radi family.
Kitti Toris says her sister, Viktoria, has been like a mother to her.
“She was always there for me and she’s fighting for me … to keep me here with her, and I just can’t lose what we have,” Torris said.
“I love her.”
The Radis reached out to their Member of Parliament, John Barlow.
“There’s obviously a gap within our system where you have a 16-year-old minor who has family here in Canada, not a burden on our system, they have a business, she’s in school, they’re very successful,” Barlow stated.
“That is the type of situation where we should be supporting it.”
Barlow said he personally reached out to the federal immigration minister on Thursday, asking him to step in and help out in the case.
The Canadian Border Services Agency was unavailable for comment, but indicated it would aim to respond on Friday.
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