Yukon boy caught in limbo as parents face deportation

An immigrant family who live in Whitehorse isbeing deported from Canada and twoparents are nowfacingan unimaginable decision regarding their youngest son.

Sergio Rojas is from Mexico and his partner Linda Martinezis from Nicaragua.

• UPDATE |Yukoners step up for Whitehorse family facing deportation

The couple have aseven-year-old boywho was born outside of Canada.

Their three year-old son, Jonathan,was born in Yukon andis a Canadian citizen.He has a malformed skull which requires medical care.

The couplehad applied for residency in Canada under compassionate and humanitarian groundsbut were denied. They've been told they have to leave the countryon March 4.

Pediatricians and therapists have told the couple their son won't receive proper medical care if they return to CentralAmerica.

'You have two choices'

Rojas says animmigration officer in Vancouver told the couplethey could leave Jonathanin Canada.

"Ten days ago immigration called me and says 'you have to leave, you have two choices. We know he's sick, but you have two choices: You can leave him here, or you can take him."

We cannot leave members of our family. But they say leave itor take it. This is not a good situation for us- Sergio Rojas, father of three-year-old Jonathan

"This is not a choicefor us," said a tearful Rojas.

"We cannot leave members of our family. But they say leave itor take it. This is not a good situation for us."

Jonathan has been diagnosed with plagiocephalyand torticollis which isa type of muscle paralysis. He receives treatment at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver and gets daily therapy at the Child Development Centre in Whitehorsewhere he's learning to walk and talk.

"He's in a special program eight hours a day, he receives all the care here. And the pediatrician told me to don't move out," said Rojas.

The family has been in Canada for several years.Rojas is from Mexico but his family now all live in the United States.

Martinezhas no family in Nicaragua.

Rojassays he can't understand why his three-year-old son is beingpenalized.

"Jonathan was born here. He needs you. He needs the government," said Rojas. "We don't ask for money, we don't ask for anything. Only for his health."

Reaction swift

After CBC Northbeat aired the story on Friday, reaction on social media was swift.

Yukon MP Ryan Leef met with the family twice during the weekend. Hesaysthe family had first sought assistance from his office in September.

Leef says he'll meet with Immigration Minister Chris Alexander on Mondayand pledges to fight for the family's right to remain in Canada.

"Everything I've seen to this point, they've been compliant with all the requests that Canada has made, they've been diligent in their efforts to provide the information and follow the process. I'm identifying some gaps in the information that could be beneficial to their case. Our office is going to work exceptionally hard to help them work through something that they would have a challenge working throughon their own."

Leef says it's a serious casewith a very urgent deadline.

"The compassion and humanity that we can show this family, this Yukon family, this Canadian boy, warrants that. There's no question in my mind.If there's ever a time to stand up for a family or an individual, this one is very clear."

Sergio Rojas and his eldest son, Sergio Jr., leave for Vancouver today.

Martinez will follow on Wednesday with Jonathan.