Received a heartbreaking e-mail in my inbox today. All it’s done so far is make one of the local papers, so to push things along I sent the story to Brisbane Extra, A Current Affair, Today Tonight and Triple J’s Hack. That’s all I had time for off the cuff.

Not a feel-good story, sorry. Brisbane woman’s husband to be deported. Family will be split because of Immigration Department Decision. Her name is Gail Duncan. She’s an Australian citizen and she married her husband, Mohanad Alkhousi (Hanad), in Australia 3 years ago.

They have a 22-month old son who requires the ongoing medical treatment and management of his gastroenterologist.

The Immigration department wants to deport this Brisbane school teacher’s husband because they say he must leave the country to apply for a spouse visa. This sounds quite simple but it is in fact quite complicated and will result in a definite separation of their family for 2 years – without any contact, physical, verbal or internet etc.

Hanad is Syrian and is wanted to serve in the Syrian military, and hence has a one-year restriction on his passport, making it impossible to travel to other countries to wait for a spouse visa (processing time 18-24 months). His only option is Syria where he would be taken to military jail from the airport then taken AWAY to military camp for 2 years. His visa expires JUNE 15 .

They want the immigration department to let them apply for a spouse visa on-shore due to the significant hardship of their case.

If any interested media should come across this, please e-mail me at elissa@race.net.au and I’ll provide you with Ms Duncan’s contact details. Although I get the feeling she is willing to speak about her case, I am not comfortable with posting them up here.