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Lee-Ann Korpal with her daughter Camille

A mother facing deportation along with her daughter to the United States has been given a court date when immigration officials will consider her appeal.

American citizens Lee-Ann Korpal and daughter Camille Beutler, of Main Street, Wilsden, may be forced to leave behind their British family after the outcome of an immigration hearing in Bradford next month.

The Home Office will use the hearing to present a case to deport the pair.

Mrs Korpal's solicitor will contend she should be allowed to remain living with her husband Nick and their three children in Britain - all of whom have British citizenship.

Mrs Korpal, 38, said: "I'm scared. If they say No' it means we are gone.

"The hearing is two days before Camille's 16th birthday.

"We've been told we might learn the outcome there and then or the decision might be sent through the mail - it's making me really nervous."

Since emigrating from Goa, India, two years ago, the family has battled to gain British citizenship for Mrs Korpal and her daughter.

According to the family, the problem arose when they were wrongly advised by British Consulate officials to apply for citizenship after entering the country.

Mr Korpal was born in Shipley and has settled in a job with an aviation security firm while Camille attends Bingley Grammar School.

The Home Office decided to postpone an earlier deadline for the voluntary deportation of Camille until the court makes a ruling on her mother's appeal.

Mrs Korpal said the family was struggling to cope with the ordeal. "I've lost a stone and a half since this all started," she said. "I can't eat. We are such a loving family and it just doesn't seem right.

"I got a call from a teacher to say my youngest has not been the same ever since this has been going on.

"It's the way he acts in class - he's normally a good child, bubbly and listens, now he's not paying attention.

"He understands to a degree but I don't think he knows that if it doesn't go positively he will lose his mum and sister."

Shipley MP Philip Davies has called for the Home Office to let the family stay and Mrs Korpal said there had been no shortage of support from the community. She said: "The response from people has been unbelievable. One person who read the story has e-mailed me every week to ask how we are and he said he'd written to his local MP.

"I have people walking up to me in Wilsden who I don't know. I was at a baptism at a church the other day and someone came up to me saying they were from the other side of Yorkshire and that they were sorry."

Mr Davies said: "I've taken up the case with the Home Office and made representations to ask it to reconsider its position.

"It's nonsensical, I just hope that common sense prevails. How likely they are to change their minds, I don't know."

7:46pm Friday 28th March 2008

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