A WOMAN WHOSE husband was deported after unfounded sham wedding allegations has pleaded with the Irish Government to bring him home.

Kleber Medeiros was living with his wife Harriett Bruce in Ballinasloe, Galway, when he was sent to Sao Paulo in July of this year.

Since then, Bruce has been campaigning to get her husband back to Ireland.

The couple married in December of last year. The HSE said in a letter the sham marriage claim was unfounded.

Both Medeiros and Bruce need to be in Ireland to sign the documentation making their marriage official. However, the groom is unable to return due to his deportation order.

Objection

An objection had been made to the authorities about the validity of their marriage.

A person, known to the couple, had claimed they were entering into a marriage of convenience.

The authorities therefore had to investigate the claims.

In the meantime, Medeiros had been in court battling to stay in the country.

The couple has claimed his case was thrown out and he was allowed to stay in the country. The judge had even complimented Medeiros on his work ethic as he had bank statements to prove he was working between 45 and 60 hours a week.

The couple were married in Athlone, Westmeath, late last year. Source: Harriet Bruce

Speaking from Brazil, Bruce told TheJournal.ie how the couple’s lives had been turned upside down.

She said: “All I want is my husband to be able to come back to Ireland. We have done nothing wrong. We’ve known each other for years. We’ve been together for three years. We had hundreds of people turn up at our wedding.

“Our marriage has been recognised by the church but not by the State.

There’s no protection in our country for people from different countries, cultures and races that fall in love and wish to marry.

“It’s my constitutional right to marry Kleber.

“There’s so much stress being put on us. We’ve only just got married. We shouldn’t be going through this. But if anything, it’s made us stronger.”

Bruce expressed her anger at the HSE, gardaí and the Irish Nationalisation and Immigration Service over their ordeal.

She said they are trying to pay their mortgage and keep their heads above water all while a deportation order keeps them apart.

Bruce’s mother is in remission from cancer and the ordeal has taken its toll on her.

Bruce added: “She’s finding it very tough. Me and my mam are very close and this is having a terrible effect on her.

“She’s devastated not knowing when our lives will be back on track. It’s taking a serious toll on her health.”

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Harriet with her mother in happier times.

She added: “We’re doing our best here. I’m in Brazil with Kleber now but I have to come back at the start of next month. I want to be back in Ireland with my husband.

“This all started because someone made allegations that just weren’t true. This is what it’s all about.

“Kleber’s immigration status was dealt with in the Ballinasloe District Court since 2014. It was struck out and he was granted permission to reside in Ireland.

“An objection was made to the HSE out of malice. The HSE withheld the marriage licence and took their time investigating the objection. This person also contacted the INIS to inform them Kleber and I were entering into a marriage of convenience. This is the reason for Kleber being removed from the State.

“If our license were released… we would not be in this mess.”

Kleber and Harriett in Brazil.

Friends and family have written letters in support of the couple and many have written to Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald calling for Medeiros to be returned to Ireland.

Sinn Féín senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh is calling on the Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald to reunite the Galway couple.

He said the family’s claims “would indicate therefore that the Department of Justice and the Minister were wrong to deport Kleber Medeiros and that he should be allowed to return immediately”.

“This is a very unsatisfactory situation for which the Minister is ultimately responsible.

“I have called on the Minister to outline how she and her Department will rectify the situation and allow this young couple to be reunited and get on with their married life together in Galway again.”

TheJournal.ie has contacted the HSE and the Department of Social Protection for comment.