Brisbane-based mum fights deportation: 'Just give me time to raise my son'
A Filipino woman who has called Brisbane home for more than decade is fighting to keep her family together as she faces imminent deportation.
Bernadette Romulo has spent the past five months trying to appeal the federal government’s decision to deport her, which would tear her away from her eight-year-old son, Giro.
The young boy was born in Australia and can not leave the country due to partial custody arrangements with his father.
Ms Romulo arrived in Australia in 2006 on a 457 visa with her first husband and two daughters, now aged 12 and 13, before their marriage failed.
The aged care nurse subsequently had Gino with an Australian man. When they separated in 2012, Ms Romulo put in a bid for permanent residency.
She was knocked back in December and has since then she has been on a bridging visa, which was expected to expire on Thursday.
Ms Romulo said every time her family came close to the expiration of their bridging visa, Giro became “really distressed” and cried at night.
“He holds my hand as if the next day I am going to disappear,” she said.
“It is really hard...we don’t know what is going to happen with our family.
“I didn’t have a partner after my seperation from Giro’s dad so I have done a lot of sacrifices to keep the family together.”
According to Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton’s office, the matter was with Assistant Home Affairs Minister Alex Hawke.
A statement from Mr Hawke’s office said the case had already been “comprehensively assessed” by the department.
“The Assistant Minister only intervenes in a relatively small number of cases which present unique and exceptional circumstances,” the statement read.
“It would be inappropriate to confirm further details, including individual circumstances, relating to this case.
“Child custody matters are beyond the scope of this Department and are addressed through the appropriate jurisdiction of family law.”
Ms Romulo has garnered more than 30,000 signatures from an online petition calling for Mr Dutton to step in and let her remain in the country she calls home.
“I am taking by children back to the Philippines and they are going to be frustrated of course, but my son is just eight years old, he still needs my guidance, my care,” she said.
“Even if they keep me here until my son turns 16, I would be fine with that, I would feel secure and confident that he is ready to go.
“If they really don’t want us here, just give us some time to raise my son.”