Since August, Unis Resist Border Controls has been keeping everyone informed of Adriana Ortega-Zeifert’s fight against the violence of the hostile environment policy that might led to her and her daughter’s deportation on the Wednesday 2nd October 2019.
Not only is Adriana a talented researcher, a survivor of domestic violence, but also a fellow UCU member.
A few days ago we informed you that there are three things that all academics, students, and union officials who are oppose to the hostile environment in higher education and all other areas can do to support Adriana and her family.
They are the following:
1. Donate to her JustGiving fundraiser for to help pay for her legal costs. Adriana needs to raise £10,000 for her & her daughter’s fresh claim application and their solicitor’s fees before the 2nd October 2019. Any funds you can donate at this time would be much appreciated. The link to Adriana’s JustGiving fundraiser can be accessed here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/adriana-ortega-zeifer
2. Join the over 100 academics, students & UCU members who have endorsed a statement from URBC demanding that the Home Office give Adriana & her daughters leave to remain and for the University of Manchester to allow Adriana back on her PhD course. You can sign and share the statment here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15gnX9PY4vC8fjN6O_Zgk5lRYuoDhBWoP7ssArvH5Mh8/edit
3. Join 2,000 supporters who have signed a Change.org petition demanding the Home Office not deport Adriana & her daughters back to Mexico:
https://www.change.org/p/priti-patel-mp-minister-for-the-home-office-home-office-unfairly-deporting-talented-academic-and-her-daughters
We are also asking UCU member to specifically pass this emergency motion in support of Adriana and her family:
Motion for Adriana
This motion notes:
Adriana Ortega-Zeifert is an international student from Mexico who came to the United Kingdom in April 2010 to pursue a PhD at the University of Manchester, having been awarded a scholarship to pursue her groundbreaking research.
Professor Peter Gardner, Adriana’s supervisor, states that she is: “doing some really cutting edge research in the field of prostate cancer diagnosis using state-of-the-art analysis system including collaboration with leading US researchers at the University of Wisconsin. Her work on cancer associated fibroblasts is ground breaking and is just waiting to be finished off before publication.”
However, Adriana was forced to take an interruption from her PhD studies as a result of mental health issues brought on by years of sexual, emotional, financial abuse and parental alienation at the hands of her ex-partner while he was also a student at the University of Manchester.
Because of her severe depression, PTSD and the side effects of antidepressant sertraline, Adriana failed to send her second extension visa application to the Home Office. As a result, the University of Manchester withdrew her from her PhD studies.
Compounding matters, Adriana has been instructed by family court that her three daughters must return to Mexico to visit her ex-partner. Adriana and her three daughters want to remain in Manchester. Because of the hostile environment policy, if they are forced to return to Mexico, there is no way that they would be allowed to re-enter the UK for ten years or more.
Already people in Manchester and around the UK are supporting Adriana’s struggle; over 2,000 individuals have signed Adriana’s Change.org petition demanding that the Home Office grant them leave to remain status in the UK. Close to 300 academics, students, and union members from UCU and Unite the Union have signed a letter from Unis Resist Border Controls demanding the Home Office to grant Adriana and her three daughters leave to remain & for the University of Manchester to bring Adriana back on her course.
This motion resolves
1. To pressure University of Manchester to allow Adriana Ortega-Zeifert back on her PhD course, to resume her important groundbreaking research.
2. To demand the UK family courts give primary custody to Adriana Ortega-Zeifert.
3. To demand that the Home Office grant Adriana Ortega-Zeifert and her three daughters be granted leave to remain in the UK.
4. To donate £150 from local branch funds for Adriana’s ongoing legal costs.
Unis Resist Border Controls is asking UCU members to show solidarity with Adriana and her family before Wednesday 2nd October 2019 when they have to have their fresh claim application filed to the Home Office. Without the £10,000 to pay for their fresh claim application and legal fees, Adriana and her three daughters deportation will go ahead. We cannot let this happen! Help keep Adriana and her family together in the Manchester community that they have built roots in and now call home!