V'zuelans challenge immigration rejection order

EIGHT Venezuelans who are challenging their rejection from the country by immigration at the Piarco International Airport in March, have been ordered to file an affidavit in their native language by May 24.

Their affidavit is also to be translated into English by a certified translator and also exhibited in their judicial review claim against the Chief Immigration Officer.

The deadline was set by Justice Jacqueline Wilson who is hearing their challenge in the Port of Spain High Court.

The trial of their claim will be heard on July 15.

At a pre-trial hearing at the Hall of Justice this morning, Wilson said she had a concern that none of the applicants had filed an affidavit in support of their claim.

The eight, who were all in court, agreed, through their lawyers, to do so.

Lawyers for the Venezuelans are also expected to file an application to cross examine immigration officials as it related to whether the eight were told of their rights to appeal the March 21 rejection order.

After being denied entry, the eight were detained at a Trincity guesthouse by the travel agency acting on behalf of the airline that brought them to TT, were they released and placed on supervision orders by immigration.

Since the airline did not have an office in the country, the travel agency housed them at a guesthouse, awaiting instructions from immigration on what to do with them.

The eight were said to be locked in their rooms with no cellphones, and were kept in rooms with more people than beds.

They are now challenging the rejection orders since, according to them, they entered the country legally and were given no reason by immigration to deny them entry into TT.

The Venezuelans are being represented by a team of lawyers which includes Joseph Sookoo, Kirby Joseph, Delicia Helwig-Robertson, Shirvani Ramkissoon.