Calling while being detained by officials near Edmonton’s airport earlier this month, Halima Abdi tried to comfort her three little boys huddled in the back seat of her sister’s vehicle outside a Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) office.
Earlier that day, Sept. 4, authorities unexpectedly detained Abdi, who went into the CBSA building in downtown Edmonton for her weekly check-in. After a decade-long battle to stay in Canada, Abdi’s removal was just six days away.
“Why did you leave us, Mommy?,” her eldest — seven years old — asked, putting a protective arm around his sibling.
“Mommy, come back,” her youngest pleaded.
What unfolded over the next 72 hours, according to Abdi, was nothing short of a miracle.
On the same day she was supposed to fly back to Kenya, immigration authorities approved — in principle — Abdi’s application for permanent residency on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.
In an interview with CBC News on Tuesday, Abdi tried to find the words to thank dozens of her supporters who have stood by her for nearly a decade.
“I don’t know how to express my gratitude to everybody,” she said. “I will just pray for them.”
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Abdi’s bid to start a new life in Canada began in February 2017 when she flew from Kenya to the United States and walked across the northern border.
Canadian immigration authorities at the time rejected Abdi’s claim that she was a target in Kenya because of her Somali ethnicity.
Two unpalatable options remained: surrender her children to be raised by the Alberta government, or bring them with her to Kenya.
Supporters gathered in protest outside of the downtown Edmonton CBSA building on Sept. 4 as Abdi’s lawyer and advocates wrote emails to the federal public safety minister. More than 1,000 people signed a petition asking immigration authorities to reconsider.
In the meantime, officials flew Abdi to a detention centre in B.C. and then back to Edmonton. She was finally released from custody on Sept. 10 at Edmonton International Airport and into the arms of relieved family members.
In an email to CBC News, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said Abdi’s August 2024 application for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds passed the eligibility requirements on Sept. 9.
The CBSA said it received confirmation from the IRCC on Sept. 10 and stayed the removal order pending the outcome of her application for permanent residence, which involves further medical and security checks.
Now, as Abdi cherishes the daily moments with her kids, she is also daring to dream about what a future career in Canada might look like, either in policing, the military or in medicine.
“When I think back, I’m like, ‘Girl, you’re so strong. If this did not break you, nothing’s going to break you,’” Abdi said.
