Yazidi family in Winnipeg pleads for answers from Immigration Canada after ‘unclear X-Rays’

The Elias family’s glimmer of hope of being reunited with loved ones in Turkey is fading after the latest setback in the long process to acquire visas for them.

The Yazidi family living in Winnipeg was feeling optimistic after extended family members were granted interviews and medical assessments by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) last week.

Hasso Elias’ aunt, her four kids and her late husband’s niece are living in an abandoned building in Turkey, the country they’ve called home since fleeing Iraq in 2020.

After five years of waiting for their visas to be approved to come to Winnipeg, the family of six travelled from Midyat to Ankara, the Turkish capital, last week at IRCC’s request.

“Going there, the 16 hours, it was scary. It was hard,” Elias told CityNews. “But it was also exciting at the same time because they had some hope that they would reunite with the family here very soon. But the ride back was 10 times harder. It was scary, it was a lot of uncertainty. It was just a really traumatic experience back.”

That’s because the family was told by medical staff on Aug. 20 that Elias’ 23-year-old nephew, Nawaf, had “unclear X-rays” and would need to come back for another medical assessment in three months. Elias says his loved ones are afraid for his health.

“After countless questions, the family asking the medical team and the visa office the question of why is it going to take three months?” Elias recounted. “Is there something wrong with this young man that we don’t know of? Can you provide us with the results? None of those questions were answered, so we have no idea.”

The Elias family fled their ancestral home in Iraq, escaping what the United Nations called the genocide of 400,000 Yazidi people – a religious minority based mainly in northern Iraq – perpetrated by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. His family fled to Syria for a few days, then to a Yazidi refugee camp in Turkey, where they spent about three years. They eventually made it to Canada via the United Nations as part of its resettlement commitment plan in 2017 for ISIS survivors. Their extended family did not.

CityNews asked IRCC for details about Nawaf’s test results and the reasons for the wait. While it cited safety and privacy concerns, it did provide more general answers to the questions.

“Panel physicians may wait before providing information if they need to conduct follow-up tests and to analyze test results,” a statement reads.

“While medical examination results are used to inform immigration decisions, they are primarily a medical screening interaction between clients and physicians and are not under IRCC’s direct control.

“We encourage clients to liaise directly with their panel physician as health information is confidential and protected. Panel physicians should be able to explain all findings and results. Once the immigration exam has been completed, clients can get a copy from their physician.”

Nafiya Naso, who’s been helping the Elias’ through the immigration process, says her organizations – the Canadian Yazidi Association and Operation Ezra – have privately sponsored 67 people, and she’s never encountered this situation before. She says the lack of clarity re-traumatized the family of ISIS survivors as they drove back to Midyat.

“It brought back memories from when they were fleeing on August 3rd, 2014,” Naso said. “And now, not only have they been waiting five years to reunite with this family, is there something now wrong with her son’s health?

“The family’s questions weren’t answered about why’s it going to take 3 months? What kind of testing are they doing? Is there something wrong with this young man? There’s a hundred questions now that the family is asking us.

“Answer the family’s questions and if this young man is healthy, please let the family know because that is their biggest worry right now.”

Naso is pleading on behalf of the family for answers. She says the community in Winnipeg is ready to take them in today.

“We have the funds to support the family for the first year,” Naso said. “We have an army of volunteers ready to welcome them. We have a home that’s fully furnished for them. All we need them to do is move this file forward and reunite this family. That’s all we’re asking for.”

“We hope our cousin is healthy and there’s nothing wrong with him, first of all,” added Elias. “And second, we really hope that the folks in Ankara, the visa office and IRCC will do everything they can to bring our family here.”