Disabled Fijian man Sagar Narayan given reprieve by new government as deportation halted

Iain Lees-Galloway confirmed Narayan's case would be reviewed. Photo / File

Disabled Fijian man Sagar Narayan was set to be deported tomorrow but has been given a reprieve by new Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway.

Just hours after being sworn-in as Immigration Minister in a ceremony at Government House this morning, Lees-Galloway confirmed on Twitter that Narayan's case would be reviewed: "Sagar Narayan will not be deported tomorrow. Case file being prepared for review of the original decision."

Narayan, 20, is intellectually disabled and requires help with basic tasks, including getting dressed and eating meals. His family provides him with care in Kelston, Auckland, where he moved from Fiji in 2009.

His family was granted permanent residence in 2008, but Narayan had stayed in Fiji with his grandparents, who cared for him until their deaths in 2009. His family say he has no relatives in Fiji to care for him.

Immigration NZ rejected his residence application as a dependent child on health grounds.

Kelston MP Carmel Sepuloni, who was sworn in today as Social Development Minister, has been advocating to overturn the decision as the family's local MP.

Lees-Galloway said that Sepuloni's request triggered the review.

"The case file is now being prepared by Immigration NZ, which will come to us for a review of the original decision."

He could not comment on the likelihood of the decision being reversed. "We haven't seen the information."

Ultimately it will be Associate Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi that will have the authority to decide Narayan's fate.

Narayan's lawyer Alistair McClymount told Newshub that if Narayan were deported, he would be "dumped into an institution for the rest of his life".

He described the reprieve as a "positive development" and hoped Narayan would be able to stay in New Zealand.