Lawyers help Egyptian student win right to stay in UK

Youssef Mikhaiel, 28, was supposed to be deported in June, but the order was postponed following a ruling from the Court of Session.

Mr Mikhaiel has Fabry disease, which damages the heart, kidneys and nervous system. He would be unable to obtain treatment for the condition in Egypt.

The Home Office has now granted him leave to remain for two years. It cited his “exceptional circumstances” as the basis for exercising discretion in the case.

Mr Mikhaiel was detained for two weeks at Dungavel during May and June. Speaking of his initial detention, he said: “Until this moment, I wasn’t able to process it. You are being treated as a criminal and I didn’t have access to the proper medical treatment. You fight for years for treatment and then all of a sudden, you could be deported.”

He added: “I can take a breath now. I have skills and would like to invest more in myself.”

Mikhaiel’s lawyer, Usman Aslam of Mukhtar & Co Solicitors, said: “This is an outstanding result and a significant win given the very high legal threshold to stay in the UK on medical grounds. There was no need to detain someone, and despite us showing medical evidence, they proceeded to try to remove him from the UK.”

The Home Office said: “All applications for leave to remain are carefully considered on their individual merits, on the basis of the evidence provided and in accordance with the immigration rules. We only return those with no legal right to remain in the UK and will not return anyone to countries where they have been found to be at risk of persecution or serious harm.”