Protesters gathered outside the US Consulate today urging the government to reunite the families of deported international students.
Photo: RNZ / Sarah Murphy
At least nine Indian students were deported around 16 months ago after it was found that their education agents submitted fraudulent documents on their behalf.
Holding placards calling for the families to be reunited, and wearing t-shirts that read 'Migrant Lives Matter', around 25 protesters crowded the pavement outside the consulate.
With a change in government, those affected by the deportations hope their voices will be now be heard.
"They visited all these students that were affected and promised, should Labour form a government, that they would carry out a full thorough investigation into the matter," said protest organiser Anu Kaloti.
"So now we are calling upon the Labour government to live up to their promise and do that investigation and bring those students back."
She said the families were only asking to be brought back for one year's work experience and would then return home.
"Most of them feel pretty burnt and pretty hurt by their experience that they probably wouldn't want to stay anyway, they just want to clear their names that they are not the culprits, they are actually the victims, and get that work experience and they will return."
Vikram Salaria, whose wife and young daughter were deported more than 18 months ago, was among the protesters.
He said he spoke with his family almost every day and the separation was taking a big emotional toll on his young daughter.
"I mean she's crying and asking me when I'm going to bring her here and I don't have any answers for her."
He said when the students were seeking shelter at Auckland's Unitarian Church in February last year, all of the big political leaders were promising to reunite his family.
"I'm just trying to remind them, what about their promise, please fulfil it and reunite my family."
The matter is urgent, he said.
"It's my family, it's really hard to live without family."
