Community lobbies to bring refugee family to New Zealand

Georgia Forester, “Community lobbies to bring refugee family to New Zealand,” Manawatu Standard, 06 July 2016

Hanna family

PHOTO: Rafik Hanna, his wife Gihan Hanna and their children, Roughina, 17, Miriam, 15, and Filo, 9.

A family of refugees who left Egypt to escape religious persecution are getting high-profile backing for their case to be allowed to move to New Zealand.

Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith, National list MP Jono Naylor, All Saints Church parish priest John Hornblow​ and other community members have shown their support for the resettlement mission.

But getting approval from the Immigration Department could be difficult.