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Harriett Bruce

'Home for Christmas': Couple to reunite after sham marriage claim led to deportation

Kleber Medeiros was deported in July of this year.

A MARRIED COUPLE who were separated after bogus claims they had entered into a sham marriage will be reunited before Christmas.

Kleber Medeiros was living with his wife Harriett Bruce in Ballinasloe, Galway, when he was deported to Brazil in July.

Despite the HSE sending Bruce an official letter stating that the sham marriage claims were unfounded, her husband had already been sent back to South America. Both parties had to be in Ireland to get their affairs in order but, as Medeiros was subject to a deportation order, he could not return.

But after months of campaigning to get her husband back, it emerged today that the couple will be back together in Ireland in the coming days.

Writing on Facebook, Harriett said she was delighted that her husband was returning home.

She wrote: “Kleber and I would like to thank everyone for all your calls, text messages, champagne, flowers, chocolates, biscuits and cards.

The support is unbelievable

“Excited is an understatement. We’ve no words to describe how happy we both are. This has been a very challenging few months but I gave it my all and eventually we got the justice we both deserve.”

Sinn Feín Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh welcomed the decision of the Minister for Justice to revoke the deportation order enforced against Medeiros.

harriett Harriett and Kleber in Brazil Harriett Bruce Harriett Bruce

He said: “I am delighted that the Minister has reversed her decision and that Kleber is now free to return home for Christmas.

“I was happy to play a small part in the campaign and I believe that bringing Harriett Bruce and other family members to Leinster House to put their case to TDs and Senators was crucial in that process.

It is fantastic that the pressure has worked and that the deportation order has been revoked.

Speaking to TheJournal.ie in October, Bruce described how the couple’s lives had been turned upside down.

She said: “All I want is my husband to be able to come back to Ireland. We have done nothing wrong. We’ve known each other for years. We’ve been together for three years. We had hundreds of people turn up at our wedding.

“Our marriage has been recognised by the church but not by the State.

There’s no protection in our country for people from different countries, cultures and races that fall in love and wish to marry.

“It’s my constitutional right to marry Kleber.

“There’s so much stress being put on us. We’ve only just got married. We shouldn’t be going through this. But if anything, it’s made us stronger.”

Read: The Westmeath hurlers donated their post-match meals to the homeless last night >

Read: Three stabbings involving four inmates at Cloverhill Prison >

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20 Comments
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    Mute B9xiRspG
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    Dec 13th 2016, 10:55 AM

    lovely, we deport a guy that we shouldn’t and yet can’t manage to deport those that we should! Only in Ireland.

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    Mute Eugene Harrington
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:40 AM

    Are you sure it’s only in Ireland?

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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Dec 13th 2016, 10:57 AM

    There are 100s of sham marriages in ireland every year. When the authorities intervene they pick a legitimate marriage. typical.

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    Mute David Mac Shite
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    Dec 13th 2016, 10:33 AM

    They actually look like a happy couple. Best of luck to you both.

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    Mute Ruth Corbally
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:10 AM

    I would love to see whoever made the bogus claim in the first place be punished for this. Get them to even pay for his flights to and from Brazil! What kind of a person does something like that?!

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    Mute Boeing Lover
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:31 AM

    Its grand, the tax payer pays for those flights

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    Mute Brendan McGill
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    Dec 13th 2016, 12:14 PM

    I doubt the return flights will be paid for

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    Mute Boeing Lover
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    Dec 13th 2016, 1:30 PM

    He was deported unlawfully, his flight back to his country of departure is funded by that state.

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    Mute Trish Ryan
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    Dec 13th 2016, 5:32 PM

    The usual nosey curtain twitching busy bodies who have too much time on their hands.and the should pay a fine or something for a false claim,but surely the investigators should of done their job and, I don’t know, maybe investigate more robustly!

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    Mute Celtic_Horizon
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    Dec 13th 2016, 10:40 AM

    Happy christmas!!

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    Mute David Harries
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    Dec 13th 2016, 10:53 AM

    Nice one merry Christmas

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    Mute oliverjumelle
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    Dec 13th 2016, 12:52 PM

    And I bet he was reported by a non national hating local

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    Mute Valentine Lynam
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    Dec 13th 2016, 12:00 PM

    I wish them all the luck in the world

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:13 AM

    That’s a couple of people returning home from Brazil to be reunited with their families. Maybe we should send the government jet out to collect them.

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    Mute Reg
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:44 AM

    And give Pat Hickey a lift home!

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    Mute Brendan McGill
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    Dec 13th 2016, 12:15 PM

    Pat should only be allowed to return by steam packet ship.

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    Mute Joe Keogh
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    Dec 13th 2016, 12:17 PM

    Have yourself a very merry Christmas!…

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    Mute The Girl
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    Dec 13th 2016, 11:17 AM

    INIS just set this couple up for life probably…sure they’d sue.

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    Mute Myy Helper
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    May 12th 2017, 11:36 PM

    Waoh finally i had STEVE back And i have my own son, in my life after i have been fooled by so many spell casters, but Dr OGUNDELE putted a smile on my face and showed me the through powers of spell, sir you are a great man thanks and honor be unto you Dr OGUNDELE, my friends out there i want you to help me thank Dr OGUNDELE for the help he grant to me by bringing back STEVE to my life. If you need help or want to thank him for me, you can reach Dr OGUNDELE on his email: ogundeletempleofsolution@gmail.com or cell number: +27815327319…

    Sacke Lance
    country: Sweden

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    Mute Snob
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    Dec 14th 2016, 8:57 PM

    They are really deporting people from Ireland? Why do people believe their marriage is not a sham

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