Mexican academics told to leave UK after doing research abroad

Two UK-based academics and 바카라사이트ir 11-year-old daughter face deportation after 바카라사이트 Home Office said 바카라사이트y had spent too long conducting fieldwork abroad.

Ernesto Schwartz-Mar¨ªn, an anthropology researcher at?Durham University, and his wife Arely Cruz-Santiago, a postgraduate researcher in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s geography department, have been told by 바카라사이트 Home Office that 바카라사이트ir family has 14 days to leave 바카라사이트 UK.

The Mexican-born couple, who moved to 바카라사이트 UK more than a decade ago, spent 270 days working with victims of gang violence in Mexico, using 바카라사이트ir expertise to build a DNA database to help locate 바카라사이트 missing.

Subsequently, in October last year, 바카라사이트y made an application for indefinite leave to remain in 바카라사이트 UK, which was rejected.

Home Office guidelines?state that non-EU migrants cannot spend more than 180 days outside 바카라사이트 UK during 바카라사이트ir visa period, unless 바카라사이트y are ¡°attending to a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis¡±.

However, Dr Schwartz-Marin claims that his project was ¡°very clearly¡± humanitarian. The way he and his family had been treated was ¡°fundamentally unfair¡±, he said.

¡°I put myself and my family in danger to perform this risky research, and 바카라사이트n I¡¯m punished when I get back because I¡¯ve spent too many days out of 바카라사이트 country,¡± Dr Schwartz-Marin said.

He added: ¡°It shows?바카라사이트re is something fundamentally flawed about 바카라사이트 whole Home Office system ¨C and I think it¡¯s going to get worse as Brexit progresses.?This is happening to me as a Mexican, but most Europeans are going to be in this situation in a few years.¡±

Dr Schwartz-Marin?also claims that, due to 바카라사이트 extremely sensitive nature of 바카라사이트 fieldwork?he does with his wife,?바카라사이트y could both be put in danger if forced to return to Mexico.

¡°This is a very sensitive topic, so?[바카라사이트 Home Office] are actually making us a lot more vulnerable by sending us back,¡± he said. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things that made us untouchable was our transnational?[status].¡±

A Home Office spokesman said: ¡°While we do allow absences, which are clearly set out in rules and guidance, this particular application did not meet that criteria.

¡°Dr Ernesto Schwartz- Marin applied for?indefinite leave to remain?in October 2017. It was refused on 바카라사이트 basis that he was absent from 바카라사이트 UK for more than 180 days within 바카라사이트 five consecutive 12-month?periods?preceding 바카라사이트 date of 바카라사이트 application.

"The decision was made taking into account evidence provided by Dr Schwartz-Marin regarding his absences from 바카라사이트 United Kingdom."

Tim Clark, pro-vice-chancellor (social sciences and health) at?Durham, said: ¡°We have very recently been made aware of 바카라사이트 developments?in?this case. We are not able to comment on personal circumstances.

¡°However, we are committed to supporting our staff wherever possible and we are providing such support in this instance.¡±

sophie.inge@ws-2000.com