Judge stops deportation of Venezuelan woman

A Venezuelan woman who was scheduled to be immediately deported when she arrived in Trinidad at the Piarco International Airport last week, has instead been placed on a supervision as ordered by a High Court judge.

Lawyers representing Maria Cedeno approached the court for an order preventing her immediate deportation after she was issued a rejection order by immigration officials at the airport on April 21. She was also taken to an undisclosed location until her lawyers, Lemuel Murphy, Shirvani Ramkissoon and Kirby Joseph intervened.

Justice Robin Mohammed granted Cedeno leave to pursue a claim for judicial review which seeks to quash the rejection order issued by immigration.

Cedeno wants the court to review the decision of the Immigration Division and deem it illegal and unreasonable since there was no evidence that she fell into any of the prohibited classes of people who are denied entry into the country.

In granting her leave, Mohammed also ordered that she be immediately released and be placed on an order of supervision by the Immigration Department until her lawsuit is heard and determined.

Immigration was also restrained from removing Cedeno from TT and she is allowed to stay in the country until further order by the court.