Brazilian wins stay of deportation pending appeal

By THOMAS P. CALDWELL, LACONIA DAILY SUN

MEREDITH — In a second defeat for the federal government in the case of Renato Filippi, the United States Court of Appeals issued an order that prevents the Brazilian’s deportation pending appeal.

“We are delighted,” said attorney Robert McDaniel of Meredith, who has been working with Manchester immigration attorney George Bruno in seeking to block Filippi’s deportation.

Filippi, who entered the country illegally in 2002 to escape the poor economic conditions and crime of his home country, had cooperated with federal officials in apprehending human traffickers in exchange for receiving a Social Security card, driver’s license, and work authorization papers that would allow him to stay in the United States indefinitely, as long as he committed no crimes. His wife and daughter subsequently entered the country legally and they now have U.S. citizenship.

Word got out that Filippi was helping the U.S. government, and Brazilian gang leaders put a price on his head, prompting him to file for amnesty and relief under the United Nations Convention on Torture in 2014. An immigration judge denied his petition, and his appeal to settle his immigration status also was denied.

Filippi has been working for a Manchester company, and he checked in regularly with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Queen City office. During his September check-in, he was surprised to be ordered to leave the country by Nov. 6.

McDaniel and Bruno filed a federal lawsuit to halt his deportation, but they were getting nowhere and, with time running out, they petitioned the First Circuit court to intercede. Just before he was to be deported, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (Boston) issued a temporary stay order to allow the legal team to pursue its appeal and for the court to have time to review the matter.

Tuesday’s decision extends the stay during the length of the appeal process.

“We are also relieved that the courts seem to be inserting some sanity and humanity into our befuddled immigration laws,” McDaniel said.