A Nigerian mother and her nine children living in Fort Erie, Ontario are facing deportation after their refugee claim was denied—just as one of the children continues to fight acute myeloid leukemia.
The Fayemi family, who have lived in Canada for three years, were ordered to leave the country on October 13, 2025. Their story has drawn widespread concern and appeals for compassion from residents, healthcare advocates, and immigration supporters.
A Family in Crisis
For Taiwo Fayemi, the family’s matriarch, the deportation order came as a shock.
“It is traumatizing for me. I never dreamt this day would come,” she said in tears while packing belongings on Saturday.
Taiwo lives with nine children between the ages of four and nineteen. Six are her biological children, and three are her stepchildren. Among them is Amirat, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2022 and requires ongoing hospital care in Windsor, Ontario.
Her daughter’s condition, doctors say, is worsening and may require a stem cell or bone marrow transplant—a procedure most effective when a close family member serves as a donor.
Yet, with the entire family facing deportation, that life-saving option may no longer exist.
Hospital Coverage Withdrawn
The Fayemi family say that once their removal date was confirmed, hospital authorities informed them that they were no longer covered by government health insurance.
“We have to pay out of pocket,” said Biliquees, one of the older children. “Now they’re sending us back, and we don’t even know who will pick us up from the airport.”
Legal advisor Nicole Arghandewal, a postgraduate law student at York University helping the family, said deporting the family would “cut the child’s survival chances down to zero.”
“We filed an emergency deferral request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) asking for intervention. We are simply asking to be heard,” she explained.
Political Persecution and Denied Refugee Claim
The family first entered Canada in 2022 after fleeing political violence in Nigeria.
According to court documents, Taiwo’s husband, Afeez Fayemi, was affiliated with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was allegedly kidnapped due to his political involvement. He later escaped and went into hiding.
While in the United States on holiday that same year, Amirat fell severely ill and was diagnosed with leukemia. Fearing for their safety if they returned to Nigeria, the family crossed into Canada from New York via Roxham Road, the once-busy unofficial asylum route closed in early 2023.
Despite community integration, volunteer work, and Taiwo’s employment as a personal support worker, their refugee status claim was denied. Immigration officials stated that the family did not provide sufficient evidence of danger if they returned home.
Humanitarian Appeal Pending
The Fayemi family submitted an application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds in March 2025.
However, their deportation date was set before their application could be reviewed.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen in Nigeria,” Taiwo said. “It’s like they’re sending us home in a body bag.”
Government Response
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed that it is legally obligated to remove individuals deemed inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
CBSA spokesperson Rebecca Purdy said humanitarian applications “do not automatically delay deportation unless approved at stage one.”
As of Sunday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had not responded to media requests for comment.
Community Calls for Compassion
Residents of Fort Erie have rallied in support of the family, describing Taiwo as a hardworking healthcare aide who served her community selflessly.
“I pushed myself to serve this country,” Taiwo said. “Even with all the kids, I worked hard, finished school, and helped people who needed care.”
Local advocates are calling on Canadian authorities to suspend the deportation order until the daughter’s cancer treatment is completed.
“Deporting this family now is not just a legal act—it’s an act without compassion,” said one supporter at a community gathering.
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