Jerusalem: Four members of an Indian family, including two children, detained in Israel for staying illegally are likely to be deported soon after the completion of formalities, officials here said amidst a crackdown on illegal migrant workers.
The Indian couple with two minor children was Thursday arrested by Israel’s immigration authority, according to a media report. Inspectors of Israel’s ‘Population and Immigration Authority’ broke into the home of Tina and Minin Lopez and arrested them along with their children- seven-year-old daughter Eliana and a one-year-old toddler, ‘Ha’aretz Online’ reported Friday. The family from Karnataka was taken to the Beit Dagan detention facility in central Israel.
They were released Thursday night and are likely to be deported soon after the related formalities are completed, authorities said.
The couple reportedly came to Israel from India to work as nurses 12 years ago. Eliana, who is a second-grader in a school in Tel Aviv, and her one-year-old sibling were both born in Israel.
The family, except the younger child, had visited the Indian embassy in February 2018 for late birth registration of their elder child but did not complete the formalities.
Attorney David Tadmor, who is representing the family, said, “The Immigration Authority, instead of adhering to instructions by the courts, continues its bullying actions. This is a scandal. The Immigration Authority isn’t authorised at all to arrest children, and isn’t allowed to put out arrest warrants. We will contact the Attorney General and demand that he immediately rein in the authority.”
The arrest comes amidst a crackdown on illegal migrant workers throughout Israel. The Immigration Authority came under fire in recent weeks for arresting two Filipino children who were born in Israel while they were preparing to go to school.
Gena Antigo, 13, and Ralph Harel, 10, were released earlier this week on a USD 8,510 bail each after an appeals court ruled that their arrests and the decision to deport them and their mothers were wrong, the news report said.
PTI
