NORTH WILDWOOD — A family here is fighting for United States citizenship, under threat of deportation, in order to provide medical treatment for their son, who has Duchenne, the most aggressive form of muscular dystrophy, a crippling and fatal disease.
Zahia and Djamel Fathi’s son, Mohamed Ali Fathi, 8, a third-grader at Margaret Mace Elementary School, was diagnosed with the disease in 2008. As he reaches adolescence, his muscles will continue to deteriorate and he will lose his ability to walk.
The Fathis came to the United States from Algeria in 2001 seeking safety and political refuge. Djamel has worked at the Marina Bay Towers for the past eight years.
Djamel said he gave up his extended family, language and work as a veterinarian, to come to America with the same dream of basic rights, individual freedoms and safety, in the spirit of all American migrants.
Their three children, Imene, 5, Mohamed Ali, 8, and Laila, born just two weeks ago, are native-born English-speaking citizens of the United States.
However, their parents are under threat of deportation.
The Fathis filed for asylum and withholding of removal but were denied because they were told they waived those rights in an admission form filed upon arrival in this country.
They have requested deferred action and, to that end, they are trying to gain the attention of the community and its leaders in attempt to get a private bill, an individual authorization to stay in the United States, to continue medical care for their son.
Fathi is collecting letters of reference from the community and its leaders to plead his case before the state Immigration Court this December.
Fathi fears his son would not get proper medical treatment in the Third World country.
“There is nothing for my son in Algeria,” Fathi said. “Going there would be like signing my son’s death sentence.”
“To deport his father will kill this little boy,” Marina Bay Towers resident Joan Shefski said in a letter of reference.
Although there is no known cure for muscular dystrophy, Fathi refuses to give up hope. He cited advancements in medicine trials he hopes can extend and improve quality of his son’s life.
Click here to read the Herald’s previous report.
Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck@cmcherald.com.
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