Thirteen-year-old Dio Gama will get to play baseball in the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania after all.

Gama香蕉视频直播檚 team, the Whalley Major Allstars from Surrey, B.C., had thought they would be without the young outfielder after a federal judge ordered a review of the family香蕉视频直播檚 immigration case last month.

There were fears Gama would be blocked from re-entering Canada if he travelled to the U.S. for the tournament without status in Canada.

But the federal Immigration Department will issue Gama a temporary resident permit in order to allow him to accompany his team to the Little League World Series, The Canadian Press has learned.

The temporary permit is the result of an intervention by Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. A senior Immigration official says the $200 application fee for the permit will also be waived.

Whalley Little League president Gavin Burke said Wednesday night that when he told Dio香蕉视频直播檚 father, Noe, the news on the phone he said his son was 香蕉视频直播渙ver the moon.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淗is dad described that he was in the background when we told him, and he was just screaming with joy,香蕉视频直播� said Burke.

Burke said he and his wife are going to take a red-eye flight to Toronto on Thursday night and then will drive down to Williamsport, Penn. He said they should be there by midday Friday, in time for the Canadian team香蕉视频直播檚 first game against Panama at 6 p.m.

香蕉视频直播撯赌撯赌撯赌撯赌�

On Wednesday morning, Gama was out playing baseball 香蕉视频直播� just not in the place he most wants to be right now.

Dressed in full baseball gear, including a shirt proclaiming Whalley香蕉视频直播檚 recent Canadian Little League Championship, he caught fly balls hit by his father, Noe, and crushed pitches thrown by one of his younger brothers at Lionel Courchene Park, near the Gama family香蕉视频直播檚 home, in the Johnston Heights area of Surrey.

No question, Dio would rather be in Williamsport enjoying the Little League World Series experience with his 12 teammates.

At the moment, however, he香蕉视频直播檚 the unlucky 13th player on the roster of young Surrey-area athletes, because on Sunday Dio wasn香蕉视频直播檛 able to make the eight-hour bus trip to Pennsylvania from Mirabel, Quebec, where the Whalley squad went undefeated in eight games to win the national title Saturday.

Instead, he and his father flew home after celebrating the victory.

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Dio, whose full name is Dioscoro, is prevented from going to the Little League World Series because of immigration issues that involve his father香蕉视频直播檚 troubled past, although Noe doesn香蕉视频直播檛 want to talk publicly about that in detail.

香蕉视频直播淚 made a mistake when I was young, and I take the responsibility,香蕉视频直播� said Noe, originally from Mexico.

A lawyer has told the family that if Dio crossed the border into the U.S., he may not be allowed back into Canada.

Dio was born 13 years ago in Las Vegas, and is an American citizen, his father said.

The family came to Canada a decade ago as refugees seeking citizenship, he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been waiting for that for 10 years,香蕉视频直播� Noe said Wednesday.

香蕉视频直播淲e are hoping he can still go (to Williamsport), and we talked to the MP here and they say they香蕉视频直播檙e willing to help us, to try to get a permit for Dio to play his favourite sport, to finish the World Series and come back,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淲e have been trying very hard for that, and I hope they see it. It香蕉视频直播檚 only for the kid, only for the boy.香蕉视频直播�

Dio said winning the national championship in Quebec was 香蕉视频直播渁 good feeling, probably one of the best feelings I香蕉视频直播檝e ever had.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 pretty awesome winning the championship and going to the World Series, which is what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I couldn香蕉视频直播檛 go香蕉视频直播ο憬妒悠抵辈�� he added, his voice trailing off.

Dio has been playing baseball for three years, and practices the game with his father and brothers every chance he gets. Not surprisingly, he wants to play pro one day, after attending university.

香蕉视频直播淓very day we香蕉视频直播檙e out here, and they want to be at the park,香蕉视频直播� Noe said of his three eldest sons. 香蕉视频直播淭he kids are here and they practice, that香蕉视频直播檚 what we do. You can see it, the passion. I have to keep them on fire.香蕉视频直播�

Early this year, Dio told his father he wanted to for play for Whalley this spring, for a chance to go the Little League World Series.

香蕉视频直播淗e decided that, to switch (from a Surrey Canadians team), and we talked to Whalley and, after the tryouts, they accepted him,香蕉视频直播� Noe explained.

Playing as Team Canada now, Whalley香蕉视频直播檚 first game in Williamsport is Friday (Aug. 17) starting at 3 p.m. PDT against Latin America, represented by a squad from Arraijan, Panama.

As of Wednesday, the Gama family, Whalley league officials and supporters were hopeful Dio could still join the team at the big event, even as the clock ticked toward their opening game at the tournament.

香蕉视频直播淲e are saying, just let him play,香蕉视频直播� Mark Deshane, a vice-president of Whalley Little League, told the Now-Leader. 香蕉视频直播淭he kid is qualified and certified under Little League for his play 香蕉视频直播� he香蕉视频直播檚 been here more than two years, so he gets to play, but if it wasn香蕉视频直播檛 for this strange catch in our immigration situation, he would be at the World Series.

香蕉视频直播淪o we香蕉视频直播檙e just saying let the boy play, put everything else aside. Whatever happens with his immigration, maybe eventually he香蕉视频直播檚 going to have to go back to the United States and his family will have to go back to Mexico, who knows. But if they decide to split the family up, that would be horrible, obviously, but that may be where they香蕉视频直播檙e going. But in the meantime, he香蕉视频直播檚 got a dream and we want to help him play, so we香蕉视频直播檙e putting out that message.香蕉视频直播�

Noe said the family hopes everything will soon be resolved, and that Dio is 香蕉视频直播渞eady to go.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a dream for each boy, you know what I mean? We can send him even with the president of Whalley. I talked to him and he says if he香蕉视频直播檚 going, he香蕉视频直播檚 gonna take Dio with him.

香蕉视频直播淲hatever I did in the past is different, and now it香蕉视频直播檚 about the kids. That香蕉视频直播檚 the way I see it,香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淚 hope it gets solved in a good way, otherwise my son, he says it. It香蕉视频直播檚 going to hurt, hurt a lot, and one day, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know if he香蕉视频直播檚 going to go. You can see, he wants to cry. He香蕉视频直播檚 so sad.

香蕉视频直播淵esterday, after I told him I香蕉视频直播檓 sorry, because I know it香蕉视频直播檚 my fault, he looked at me and said, 香蕉视频直播楧ad, you told me, and you told me the truth about what could happen, and just to let you know, I香蕉视频直播檓 proud that you香蕉视频直播檙e my dad.香蕉视频直播� When he told me that, I feel good, you know, because I never lied to him about this.香蕉视频直播�

With files from The Canadian Press.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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