Tongan overstayer

He is unable to cover the costs anymore because he is an overstayer and cannot afford to pay for his medical bills.

 As PMN News John Pulu reports, an immigration lawyer says this is not an isolated case and there are more in the same situation.

Making a cup of coffee used to be simple for Samuela ‘Onesi, but now it’s no longer a simple task. In October 2022 something happened that changed his life forever.

The man was arrested in the early hours of the morning last month, and an outcry followed, as the New Zealand government had apologised for the 1970s Dawn Raids in 2021.

RNZ Pacific reports the after-hours visits by officials to confirm people's immigration status has been halted in the aftermath.

The man's lawyer Soane Foliaki said the Associate Immigration Minister Rachel Brooking reviewed the man's case and approved the six-month work visa on May 4.