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Washington: Highlighting the "human dimension" of an adopted Indian American
woman who faces deportation 30 years after she came here, India
has asked the US to ensure her case is treated with the utmost
sensitivity and compassion.
According to media reports, Kairi Abha Shepherd was adopted in
1982 by a Utah woman as a three-month-old child. But when she was
8, her adoptive mother died of cancer. When she was 17, she was
arrested and convicted of felony cheque forgery to fuel a drug
habit.
As her adoptive mother did not complete the formalities for her
citizenship, she is facing likely deportation after a court
earlier this month upheld the US government's right to remove her
from the country.
"The Embassy has seen reports concerning Kairi Shepherd, and has
requested the US authorities for facts on this matter," Indian
Embassy spokesman Virander Paul said in a statement Friday.
"All the information available to us on this case indicates that
it has a clearly humanitarian dimension, that cannot be ignored,"
he said.
"As reports indicate, Kairi Shepherd was brought to the United
States after adoption, as a baby, and has known no other home.
"Her case deserves to be treated with the utmost sensitivity and
compassion, keeping in mind the humanitarian dimension and tenets
of universally accepted human rights," the Indian Embassy said.
Meanwhile, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has
confirmed "Shepherd has a final order of removal" though she was
"not in ICE custody at this time."
Outlining the deportation procedure, ICE said: "Before carrying
out a deportation, ICE must first obtain a travel document to
ensure the receiving country will admit the alien who is being
returned."
"Once ICE obtains a travel document, the agency then proceeds to
make transportation arrangements. Completing the removal process
can take varying amounts of time, depending on the country
involved and the circumstances of the case."
"Shepherd's criminal history includes two prior convictions in
Utah in 2004 for attempted forgery and forgery, the latter of
which constitutes an aggravated felony," ICE noted.
"ICE has reviewed Ms. Shepherd's case at length and believes
seeking her removal is consistent with the agency's immigration
enforcement priorities, which include focusing on the
identification and deportation of aliens with felony criminal
convictions," it said.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
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