A mother of three has pleaded with the Home Office not to separate her family after she and her children were given just 14 days to leave the United Kingdom. Teaching assistant Chamila Dilrakshi, 45, and her children are facing deportation to Sri Lanka, even though her husband has been permitted to remain in the country.
Family's Legal Arrival and Current Plight
The family has resided in the UK since 2022 after entering legally. However, changes to visa regulations introduced under the previous Conservative government now require them to leave. Chamila expressed her shock and distress, stating, "It's a shocking moment. My children have their friends and all their relationships here. It's a big stressful moment for them. I feel like now my children's home is the UK because we never went to Sri Lanka after we arrived in 2022."
She further emphasized the emotional toll, saying, "My husband can work here and stay here, but only me and my children have to leave. How can I separate my children from their father? It will cause harm to their mental well-being. We are legal migrants; we did everything correctly." Chamila urged the Home Office to consider the contributions her family has made to the community before removing them.
Community and MP Support
Local Liberal Democrat MP Victoria Collins, representing Harpenden and Berkhamsted, reported that her office has been inundated with messages of support for Chamila and her husband Rasika Samarasinghe, 46. Collins stated, "The community has absolutely rallied around. We talk about the need for an immigration system that is fair and supports our nation. This is absolutely not what this system needs to be. I have never been so angry."
Collins continued, "The Home Secretary must review how this has become a hostile environment pushing away people who are helping our elderly and our kids. We have three wonderful children now thriving in this community. This immigration system is not supporting our country or our communities."
Visa Rule Changes and Their Impact
The family moved to the UK when Rasika came to study a Master's degree at Northumbria University. He now works as a care worker at a home near their residence in Hertfordshire and was granted a visa in March after finding a care home to sponsor his stay. However, his family has not been given permission to remain. Until March 2024, care worker visa holders could bring dependents, but the previous government barred dependents from obtaining visas to reduce net migration. The family is currently appealing the decision.
One supporter commented, "Chamila is a hardworking, kind, caring person—exactly the type we need to attract to work with our children in schools. I cannot understand why a family that came legally, followed all rules, worked hard, and contributed to the UK economy is being treated so appallingly."
Migrant Support Groups Speak Out
Migrant support organizations have voiced anger over the visa changes affecting care workers. Fizza Qureshi, chief executive of Migrants' Rights Network, told The Guardian, "Migrant care workers continually bear the brunt of this government's disdain for migrants. Nobody should be forced to choose between their livelihood and their family. The government needs to grow a heart and treat migrant workers, who are the foundations of our health and care systems, with more respect."
A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on individual cases but stated, "We will always welcome those who contribute to this country and wish to build a better life here. But we must restore order and control to our borders. We have set out plans for the biggest legal migration reforms in a generation, addressing challenges caused by unprecedented levels of migration under the previous government. It is a privilege, not a right, to settle in the UK, and it must be earned, rewarding contribution and those who play by the rules."
