‘I want to stay here’: Grandmother faces deportation after living in Australia for 40 years

In a shocking turn of events, a grandmother who has called Australia home for over four decades is now facing deportation back to the United Kingdom, a country she no longer has any ties with.

This unexpected predicament has left her, her family, and her community in Northern New South Wales in a state of disbelief and distress.



Meet Mary Ellis, a 74-year-old ‘local hero’ who has been an integral part of her community for the past 40 years.

Ellis, originally from London, moved to Australia when she was just 31.

She was under the impression that she and her then-boyfriend had been granted permanent visas, a belief that shaped her life in Australia.


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Mary Ellis has lived in Australia for 40 years and has been volunteering ever since. Credit: A Current Affair / Youtube



Ellis has since built a life in Australia, raising her son and two granddaughters and dedicating her time to volunteering with the Salvation Army and feeding the homeless in Tweed Heads.

Her selfless service to the community even earned her a nomination for the NSW Volunteer of the Year award in 2023.

Despite her contributions to Australian society, Ellis is now facing deportation due to a sudden decision by the Department of Home Affairs.

The department claimed that Ellis was never granted permanent residency, a fact that Ellis disputes, stating that she has always believed herself to be a permanent resident.



'I have a Driver's Licence, ID card, Medicare Card, and Pension card. Everything Australians have,' Ellis said.

'I thought, well, I'm a permanent resident. You know, I carry on doing my daily—what I do every day. Nobody said anything.'

‘This is my home, and I love Australia...I want to stay here,’ Ellis said while in tears.

‘Just let me get Australian citizenship, please let me...that's what I want.’

Ellis' case has sparked a wave of support, with migration agent Stanley Schneider offering his assistance pro bono.

Schneider argued that Ellis should be considered an absorbed person under the Migration Act 1958, given her long-standing presence in Australia and her clean record.

He said Home Affairs ‘suddenly’ decided Ellis had to leave the country.

‘They contacted Mary and asked her to go into the Brisbane office,’ he said.

‘And she went, and they told her that she shouldn't be in Australia.’

‘She's always paid her taxes…she's never even had a speeding ticket. She's never infringed anything. She's never offended anyone,’ Schneider added.

The Act stipulates that a person must have been in Australia since April 2, 1984, and not have left the country.

However, the Department of Home Affairs alleged that Ellis left the country three times under different aliases, a claim that Ellis vehemently denied.

‘I love Australia. I didn't want to go anywhere else,’ Ellis said.



Adding to the confusion, the department claims that Ellis's then-boyfriend, known to her as 'Martin Ellis', was actually 'Trevor Warren', who is now deceased.

Ellis disputed this, saying, ‘I'd say it's wrong. I came with Martin Ellis, my partner at the time, on a permanent visa.’

‘I wasn't really with him for all that long, you know, not very long. And then we went our separate ways.’

Ellis maintained that she has documents to prove her continuous presence in Australia, including a job reference from a Tasmanian restaurant and a Medicare enrolment letter signed by the then federal health minister.

Schneider argued that these documents would not have been issued if Ellis had not been in the country.

'Mary Ellis is a decent person. A person we should be absolutely thrilled to have in Australia,' Schneider said.

'And she's an Australian, Let's face it.'



The Department of Home Affairs, while not commenting on individual cases, stated that 'people who do not have the right to remain in Australia are expected to depart.'

‘Non-citizens are expected to comply with requirements to advise the Department of incorrect information and give correct answers in response to questions that may arise in visa applications, passenger cards, or in responses to notices issued by the Department,’ the spokesperson said.

You can watch A Current Affair’s coverage below:



Credit: A Current Affair / Youtube

Key Takeaways

  • Mary Ellis, a grandmother who has lived in Australia for over 40 years and is highly regarded by her community, is facing deportation to the UK.
  • Despite contributing to society and having no criminal record, Ellis never received permanent residency, a situation she was reportedly unaware of.
  • A migration agent is supporting her pro bono, arguing that she should be allowed to stay under the Migration Act as she's an 'absorbed person.'
  • The Department of Home Affairs has stated she must leave while not commenting directly on her case, indicating people without the right to remain are expected to depart.
What do you think about Mary Ellis’ situation? Have you or someone you know faced similar challenges? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below.
 
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So people who contribute to Australia can be kicked out but all those illegal criminals, read murderers, rapists, thieves etc have been released from detention and allowed to roam our community at will.

From whatscoming out about Home Affairs that departnent in itself, has been corrupt for a long time. These cases should be taken through the courts on humanity grounds just like the criminals used.
 
Throw out a British citizen but keep the scum from the Middle East? Pig dodging, camel fornicating lickers of dog balls.

Show me an honest Muslim towel head and I will show you the offspring of Santa Claus and Snow White. Grumpy wasn't Happy because he got Nun!

*Enters George Pell*
well said veggie. Those mongrels they let out of detention were murderers, rapists, drug dealers and so it goes on. Why are they still here while a lovely lady is threatened with deportation. There just aint any brains in Canberra except maybe Jacqie Lambie.
 
Isn't it amazing that someone that hasn't done anything wrong, especially since our Government issued her with Driver's Licence, ID card, Medicare Card (I know you have to be an Australian Citizen to get this) and Pension card took tax from her when she was working and is someone that has been an upstanding citizen in all that time, is targeted by the incompetent government. They let undesirables out into our society after being locked up and shrug their shoulders. This is all so wrong
 
Throw out a British citizen but keep the scum from the Middle East? Pig dodging, camel fornicating lickers of dog balls.

Show me an honest Muslim towel head and I will show you the offspring of Santa Claus and Snow White. Grumpy wasn't Happy because he got Nun!

*Enters George Pell*
Not everyone from the Middle East is scum. If you think like that, why don't we say that about the Germans? Hitler wasn't the nicest person on earth
 
Isn't it amazing that someone that hasn't done anything wrong, especially since our Government issued her with Driver's Licence, ID card, Medicare Card (I know you have to be an Australian Citizen to get this) and Pension card took tax from her when she was working and is someone that has been an upstanding citizen in all that time, is targeted by the incompetent government. They let undesirables out into our society after being locked up and shrug their shoulders. This is all so wrong
I couldn't agree with you more. Times like this I feel ashamed to be an Aussie. We should all raise our voices in support of this lady. It doesn't make sense to me that we say "YEA" for the rotten royals and pay for their holidays, let the garbage out of jails yet do this to a lady who has done nothing but work and pay her taxes in this country.
 
Du bist eine kleiner Fotze! Sorry but I speak enough German to get by. Ride off into the Saharan desert. Don't forget to send your camel to bed.

One hump or two. Pity the poor camel....
For once I'm lost Veg. What on earth are you getting at? OOPs think I've found it. I was reading bottom to top. Knew it had to be me.
 
Obviously the government has totally lost the plot!!!! Dearest Mary has been a solid, honest, generous contributing citizen all these years, she honestly believed she had a permanent Visa, she's Australian, let her stay!!! The government sees fit to allow SOME cheating, lying, manipulative, dishonest people from 3rd world countries who manipulate the system to stay on so called humanitarian grounds, but what of honest Mary?
 
I think it's disgusting that someone in Home Affairs has picked on this one person like a terrier with a bone and has no compassion or common sense. That office needs to look at all the other people who arrive in this country and then stay here causing trouble - they are the ones who should be deported. Let her stay and concentrate on more serious issues and leave her alone to get on with her life.
 
Very sad ! And the Minister for Immigration, Andrew Giles, released serial criminals like sex offenders, drug traffickers, etc. loose in the communities. He is weak as pi$$ and so is his PM and Government. Anyone who still is a Labor supporter and votes for them, should suffer more than the average person.
 

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One important questions that seems to be missed is How did they find her and why now? Who dobbed her in because in my mind it would have to be something like that to encourage a Government department to investigate an ordinary person. Rather convenient that the partner with the so called alias is now dead! Stand up to them Mary, make lots of media noise. Its sounds like you have some good support. Good Luck.
 
Very sad ! And the Minister for Immigration, Andrew Giles, released serial criminals like sex offenders, drug traffickers, etc. loose in the communities. He is weak as pi$$ and so is his PM and Government. Anyone who still is a Labor supporter and votes for them, should suffer more than the average person.
take a step back with your incorrect belief. THE High Court of Australia ORDERED THEIR RELEASE.
 

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