Stop Peter Dutton from deporting Tyrone Sevilla and his mum

Tyrone Sevilla’s autism disorder means he and his mum will be deported
APRIL 04, 2015 9:08AM

Townsville boy Tyrone, 10, has less than 28 days to convince the Australian government to let him stay. Source: News Corp Australia
ROHAN SMITH and JAMES LAW news.com.au

“IN my eyes and in my heart he is perfect.”

Those are the heartbreaking words of Maria Sevilla who this week learned the Australian government is deporting her and her son Tyrone because the 10-year-old’s autism diagnosis is a burden on taxpayers.

Ms Sevilla, who moved to Australia from the Philippines in 2007 with the hope of building a better life for her and her son, was notified on March 30 that she had 28 days to convince Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to reverse the government’s decision or to pack her things and leave.

The Townsville nurse said her heart broke when she received the email.

“I just said ‘Oh my God, this is it.’” she told news.com.au.

“In a way we were expecting it but in a way I thought we had a small chance of persuading the (Migration Review Tribunal).”

The tribunal was considering an earlier decision by the Immigration Department to reject Ms Sevilla’s skilled working visa application.

A spokesperson for Minister Dutton said “the visa was refused because the child did not meet the health requirement”.

Tyrone is a “happy, cheeky boy”. Tyrone was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2008, a condition that means his neural development is delayed.

Despite the added difficulty of bringing up a son with a disability as a single mother, Ms Sevilla created a good life for her family, completing her studies at TAFE and university, and rising to a clinical nursing position at Townsville Hospital.

Last year, she applied for a 489 skilled visa. That’s when she was told she does not quality because of her son’s condition.

“He didn’t choose to have autism so why is he being subjected to this?” Ms Sevilla said.

“From an immigration department perspective he is imperfect (but) in my eyes and in my heart he is perfect.”

She described him as a “cheeky, happy little boy” who had up and down days but said he didn’t need special medication or attention from doctors. He can read, ride a bike, and he attends special school in Townsville.

“The only thing is his language. He is largely non-verbal but he tries his best. You need to know him to understand him,” Ms Sevilla said.

She said she had worked for years raising her son and studying to become a nurse yet all of it could be taken away because the government thinks that children with autism are going to be more of a cost to Australian society than a benefit.

“Tyrone is not a burden, he is a joy. He is a happy child and can lighten the mood of a room with his presence. The idea that he can’t contribute because of his condition is just wrong. People with autism can be excellent at a whole range of things, he just needs to be given a chance.”

Ms Sevilla has plenty of support in Australia where much of her family, including her brother, mother, aunty, uncle and cousins all live.

“It makes a lot of difference. I would lose it (without them),” she said.

“When Tyrone was diagnosed, I didn’t feel any issues because I have my family with me. I have plenty of support.”

Tyrone was diagnosed six months after arriving in Australia. Her supervisor at Townsville Hospital, clinical nursing consultant Sarah Wilkinson, said Ms Sevilla “absolutely needs to stay”.

“She is an excellent nurse, very thorough, very patient-focused, and she takes leadership if there’s something that needs to be done,” Miss Wilkinson told news.com.au.

She said even if Mrs Sevilla needed to call on government resources to help care for Tyrone, her contribution to the community meant she still deserved to stay in Australia.

“I know this family and they are responsible people. They have worked hard for what they have achieved here … She contributes so much.”

Minister Dutton’s office said it is up to the applicant to seek further review.

Ms Sevilla said she hoped the minister might put himself in her shoes and reconsider.

“We are pleading to the minister if he would intervene. Think about Tyrone being his son.”

The Federal Government is threatening to deport Maria Sevilla and her son Tyrone 9 because he has Autism. Source: News Corp Australia