Refugee mother can stay, for now
A failed refugee claimant from Colombia caught in a custody fight with her baby’s Canadian father has been granted a reprieve to remain in Canada — for now.
The scheduled removal of-19-yearold Jessica Aristizabal Calrasco this week has been postponed until a Milton family court judge settles her custody battle with Daniel Ricardo Velasquez, 21, over 12-weekold Jonathan.
“It’s good news, but it is not over. I can’t think of being separated from my baby,” said Aristizabal, who will try to persuade a judge Friday to deny her ex-boyfriend full custody of the Canadian-born child.
She, her mother, Claudia; sister Marcela; and aunt, Veronica Torres; arrived in Canada in 2008 via the United States. Her mother claimed a guerrilla group killed her brother, then kidnapped and raped her and her sister-in-law.
Their refugee claim was rejected in 2009. Immigration officials subsequently deemed the family safe to return to Colombia and denied their application to stay on humanitarian grounds. In December, the Federal Court denied their appeal.
A Jan. 6 date has been set in Milton family court to settle the custody dispute, which raises the issue of what is best for Jonathan. Both parents have asked for full custody.
Immigration officials can still deport the mother even if the court awards shared custody, because immigration is a federal jurisdiction.