Washington, May 26: India holds the key to the deportation of Kairi Abha Shepherd, who is facing the prospect of forcibly being sent back to her country of birth, where she was adopted by an American woman 30 years ago.
Indian-American orphan Shepherd, who has said that deportation would be like "death sentence" to her, under US laws can't be sent back to India unless the Indian government provides necessary travel documents for her.
"Before carrying out a deportation, ICE (US immigration and customs enforcement ) must first obtain a travel document to ensure the receiving country will admit the alien who is being returned," ICE spokesperson Lori K Haley said .
Shepherd said, "I especially want to thank the kind souls in India who are working tirelessly on my behalf and, in particular, the men and women in the ministry of external affairs who reportedly may deny the issuance of travel documents , thus preventing my forced departure from America. Their hearts must be filled with compassion and I truly appreciate their efforts as these efforts, quite literally, may save my life," Shepherd said.
Federal government argues that Shepherd missed qualifying for the Child Citizenship Act by a few months and that now she is too old to qualify for citizenship under this.
