Israeli Authorities Demand Deportation of Filipino Mother Despite Daughter's Citizenship

The Israeli Population and Immigration Authority has ordered the deportation of Telma Casao, a Filipino mother of an Israeli citizen, due to her failure to provide a bureaucratic document confirming her divorce from a husband she married nearly 30 years ago. Telma has lived in Israel for over 20 years with her Israeli partner, Eyal Lev, and their 16-year-old daughter, Adi, who holds Israeli citizenship. The deportation, expected as early as next week, would separate Adi from her biological mother.

Telma was granted a temporary residence permit two years ago, contingent on her obtaining a divorce certificate from the Philippines, a process complicated by her inability to reside abroad for the required period due to family obligations. Despite attempts, including a trip to the Philippines with her partner, her divorce request was denied. The Population Authority declined to renew her temporary permit and instructed her to leave Israel, citing her failure to submit updated documents and insufficient efforts to finalize the divorce.

Adi expressed deep distress over the decision, emphasizing her Israeli identity and the emotional impact of losing her mother. Her father, Eyal Lev, criticized the ruling as prioritizing bureaucracy over family unity. Telma's legal representatives called for compassion and a solution that considers the best interests of the Israeli-born daughter, highlighting the need for the state to balance legal procedures with human considerations.

The Population and Immigration Authority responded that Telma is a foreign national married abroad and that the legal process and requirements are standard and well-known to her legal counsel. They stated that the right to family life is conditional on compliance with state procedures and that the appeal was lawfully rejected.

The case raises questions about the intersection of immigration law, family rights, and the challenges faced by families with mixed citizenship status in Israel.