June 03, 2020
US unrest stokes mother’s fears
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As cities throughout the United States are convulsed with protests against police murders of people of colour, an Auckland mother is making a dash to the United States to try to bring her children back to Aotearoa.
Louisa Opetaia says while her 16-year-old daughter is a New Zealand citizen, her two brothers in their early 20s only have US passports, even though they are Māori.
An application for the three to come together was turned down, so she is heading for California so she can at least bring her daughter back and apply again for her sons.
She says coming on top of the COVID pandemic, the civil unrest is stoking her fears.
"At different times they have both been pulled over by the police. These are six-foot tall brown, Polynesian boys. My big son has long hair, he wears it in braids and the police pulled them over. They don't see the difference between Black and Brown. They just see this big possible threat. Just seeing what's happening in America now, I don't want my kids to be there. I want them here where they can be safe in Aotearoa'" she says.
Louisa Opetaia says if she gets her sons to Auckland, the first thing they will do after getting out of quarantine is get their New Zealand passports.
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