Sunday, Jul. 26, 2009
Because of mistake in immigration form, Kansas man’s family was deported
By JIM SULLINGERThe Kansas City Star

The Neufelds — (from left) Ben, Cole, 4, Elliyah, 1, Ingrid, Kresten, 2, and Asher, 5 — have been separated because of a paperwork error.

Unlike millions of illegal immigrants, Canadian Ben Neufeld attempted to stay within the law and keep his family in the United States as permanent residents.

He succeeded in getting his green card, but because of a paperwork mistake he made in the long, complicated process, his wife and oldest child were declared illegal residents.

So since January, the music director and youth pastor at a church in Gardner in Johnson County has been living legally in the United States without his wife and four children.

He has spent much of this year trying in vain to get them back. To make matters worse, they are prohibited from entering the United States again for 10 years.

“That’s what I’m trying to get overturned,â€