South African family fighting deportation (WXIA-GA)

South African family fighting deportation
1:12 PM, Jul 29, 2011
Written by Devin Fehely

ATLANTA -- A South African family living in Atlanta is fighting deportation, fearing their lives would be in jeopardy if they returned to their homeland.

"We were receiving death threats," said 19-year-old Malcolm Mathe.

The family entered the country on tourist visas in 2007 but immediately requested political asylum when they arrived at the airport.

Mathe says they were victims of an escalating pattern of violence and threats from a group who may have been targeting his stepfather, a refugee from Rwanda.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement denied the family's petition for asylum. Two appeals have also been unsuccessful.

An appellate judge ruled in May of last year that the family "failed to demonstrate that there was a real possibility that she will be persecuted upon return to South Africa."

On Tuesday, Malcolm's older brother Andy Mathe was deported to South Africa. The family says they are concerned they will be next.