STURGEON WADES INTO DEPORTATION ROW
studying for a degree in nursing, another indication of the contribution that he intends to make to Scotland.
“Denzel’s track record of public service speaks for itself and must, we believe, be taken into account before a decision of this magnitude is made.
“We urge you to personally intervene in this case to ensure that Denzel is able to remain in Scotland, his home.”
The letter is signed by youth parliament members Amy Lee Fraioli, Suki Wan, Jack Norquoy, Jack Dudgeon, Jamie Murray and Sonny Thomason. Denzel Darku, 23, moved to the UK as a schoolboy nine years ago and served on the Scottish Youth Parliament as well as volunteering at Glasgow 2014. But the Sunday Mail revealed last week how he has been forced to drop out of a university nursing course and is facing being kicked out of the country by Tory Home Secretary Sajid Javid. Sturgeon said: “Denzel Darku has made a huge contribution to Scotland – serving on the youth pa r l iament , ca r r y ing the Commonwealth baton and now training to work in our public services as a nurse, all before the age of 21. “The difficulties he is facing show the inhumanity of the current UK migration system. “The Scottish Government will be raising this and I hope the UK Government will reconsider Denzel’s case urgently.” Denzel moved to the UK from Ghana to live with his dad Joseph in 2009 and went on to do everything possible to become a part of his new community through volunteer work and youth politics. But the Home Office claim he has no right to remain because he is not dependent on his dad since turning 21. Two applications for a residence card have been rejected and Denzel has been forced to go to court this month. At First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Sturgeon threw her full support behind Denzel after Labour MSP Neil Bibby raised his case. She said: “I think the complete lack of support that the Tories have just shown for a young man who has Scotland as his home and who wants to cont inue to have Scotland as his home
Sunday Mail
Denzel is a fine young man and it is a disgrace that he is being threatened with deportation