Tico Family Fear For Their Lives If Deported From Canada
For the Lizano Sossa family, perhaps the only way they can remain in Canada is to claim that their fear for their lives in Costa Rica. For Gerald Lizano, Fransselle Sossa and their three children, Kimberly (15), Gerald (14) and a two year old, the claim of escaping the death threats of a drug trafficker may be their ticket to stay.

Canadian immigration officials were heavily criticized last week for using "unusual" tactics to fish out the illegal couple by removing the couple's two older children from school and detaining them, forcing the parents to go to immigration officials.

The Tico family live in Rexdale, a northwest section of Toronto.

Wendell Sossa, brother of Franselle, told the Spanish language daily newspaper DIARIO EXTRA that his sister and her family fled to Canada after being threatened in Costa Rica and that the Canadian immigration action is vengeance against the family.

"It all began because my brother was an officer of the OIJ and he arrested a drug trafficker. The man swore he would get even after being arrested. My sister and my parents asked for refugee status in Canada because they fear for their lives", said Wendell.

According to Sossa, months following the arrest of the drug trafficker, a group beat up his brother-in-law, Gerald, who had nothing to do with the case. They beat him because Sossa's brother took refuge in Gerald's home. Sossa said that is when his sister and her family fled Costa Rica for Canada and have shown sufficient proof to Canadian immigration officials of the risk of life if they return to Costa Rica.

Lizano and Sossa have lived in Canada with their children for the last 11 years and feel they are now part of Canadian society.

"The place (jail) where they kept then is the worst and they treated the badly", Sossa told the DIARIO. Sossa added that his parents, José and Carmen, were also detained by immigration officials, but were released pending a hearing in two months.

For his sister, Franselle, she attended a hearing regarding her immigration status and was released after paying a us$3.000 bond, but is still is facing deportation. The two children, Kimberly and Gerald were release in Sossa's custody for the meantime.

Meanwhile a lawyer is looking to appeal the deportation order, basing arguments on humanitarian grounds and that the family will be in imminent danger if returned to Costa Rica.