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Local Doctor Faces Deportation for Mistake

Local Doctor Faces Deportation for Mistake - Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 5:57PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday, Nov 21, 2007 @05:57pm EST
SELINSGROVE, SNYDER COUNTY- As we get ready to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday a couple from the Central Susquehanna Valley has little to celebrate. The clock is continuing to tick down until two well-known members of the Servano family face a deportation hearing. It’s a case that has grabbed nationwide-attention.

The Servano’s who live in Selinsgrove were originally supposed to face a deportation hearing Friday. That has now been moved until Monday. But after working in the Central Susquehanna Valley for 25 years the Servano’s said the deportation situation started with a simple mistake.

The Ser-Mart grocery store in Sunbury is closed this holiday weekend with its future uncertain since its owners Dr. Pedro Servano and his wife will soon face a deportation hearing.

Dr. Servano spoke exclusively with us on Wednesday. He said nothing is normal in their house. “Our breakfast is a stress. Our lunch is uncertainty and our dinner is an embarrassment."

The problem is that for the last two decades the Servano's have been living and working in the Central Susquehanna Valley. The doctor opened businesses, renovated the Sunbury YMCA building, and treats more than 2-thousand patients as a Geisinger physician.

Keri Albright of the Susquehanna Valley United Way stated “It’s easy to get behind a family like this. This is a family that has made a monumental impact on the community."

United States Immigration officials said the couple needs to be deported because of a mistake made in 1978 when they filed for visas. At the time they weren't married. But when the visas came years later they were not and they didn't change their martial status.

While technically illegal Sunbury Mayor Jesse Woodring is pushing for an exemption. “This is not a case of undocumented aliens running around loose and we do not know where they are. We know exactly who and where they are" stated Mayor Woodring.

“There are reasons to enforce deportation laws. There are reasons to make an exception. This is an extreme case of a reason to make an exception" declared Albright.

We took the Servano’s case to Republican Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter this week. He can stop the couple's deportation by sponsoring what's called a Private Bill of Relief.

“It looks to me, as if it may well be appropriate to have a private bill. It is an unusual circumstance. It depends on the equities" stated Senator Specter.

But with their holiday up in the air the Servano’s are just thankful their community is behind them.

“I think what gives us hope is the support of all our friends, relatives and patients" explained Dr. Servano.

The Servano family is spending the holiday weekend near Philadelphia with their four children and parents enjoying what could be their last holiday together, before Monday's hearing.

We plan to be there for the hearing on Monday and will of course keep you posted.
 


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