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

Gama91裸聊视频檚 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 family91裸聊视频檚 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 Dio91裸聊视频檚 father, Noe, the news on the phone he said his son was 91裸聊视频渙ver the moon.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淗is dad described that he was in the background when we told him, and he was just screaming with joy,91裸聊视频� 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 team91裸聊视频檚 first game against Panama at 6 p.m.

91裸聊视频撯赌撯赌撯赌撯赌�

On Wednesday morning, Gama was out playing baseball 91裸聊视频� just not in the place he most wants to be right now.

Dressed in full baseball gear, including a shirt proclaiming Whalley91裸聊视频檚 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 family91裸聊视频檚 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, he91裸聊视频檚 the unlucky 13th player on the roster of young Surrey-area athletes, because on Sunday Dio wasn91裸聊视频檛 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.

91裸聊视频� READ MORE: .

Dio, whose full name is Dioscoro, is prevented from going to the Little League World Series because of immigration issues that involve his father91裸聊视频檚 troubled past, although Noe doesn91裸聊视频檛 want to talk publicly about that in detail.

91裸聊视频淚 made a mistake when I was young, and I take the responsibility,91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e been waiting for that for 10 years,91裸聊视频� Noe said Wednesday.

91裸聊视频淲e are hoping he can still go (to Williamsport), and we talked to the MP here and they say they91裸聊视频檙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,91裸聊视频� he added. 91裸聊视频淲e have been trying very hard for that, and I hope they see it. It91裸聊视频檚 only for the kid, only for the boy.91裸聊视频�

Dio said winning the national championship in Quebec was 91裸聊视频渁 good feeling, probably one of the best feelings I91裸聊视频檝e ever had.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 pretty awesome winning the championship and going to the World Series, which is what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I couldn91裸聊视频檛 go91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淓very day we91裸聊视频檙e out here, and they want to be at the park,91裸聊视频� Noe said of his three eldest sons. 91裸聊视频淭he kids are here and they practice, that91裸聊视频檚 what we do. You can see it, the passion. I have to keep them on fire.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淗e decided that, to switch (from a Surrey Canadians team), and we talked to Whalley and, after the tryouts, they accepted him,91裸聊视频� Noe explained.

Playing as Team Canada now, Whalley91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淲e are saying, just let him play,91裸聊视频� Mark Deshane, a vice-president of Whalley Little League, told the Now-Leader. 91裸聊视频淭he kid is qualified and certified under Little League for his play 91裸聊视频� he91裸聊视频檚 been here more than two years, so he gets to play, but if it wasn91裸聊视频檛 for this strange catch in our immigration situation, he would be at the World Series.

91裸聊视频淪o we91裸聊视频檙e just saying let the boy play, put everything else aside. Whatever happens with his immigration, maybe eventually he91裸聊视频檚 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 they91裸聊视频檙e going. But in the meantime, he91裸聊视频檚 got a dream and we want to help him play, so we91裸聊视频檙e putting out that message.91裸聊视频�

Noe said the family hopes everything will soon be resolved, and that Dio is 91裸聊视频渞eady to go.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 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 he91裸聊视频檚 going, he91裸聊视频檚 gonna take Dio with him.

91裸聊视频淲hatever I did in the past is different, and now it91裸聊视频檚 about the kids. That91裸聊视频檚 the way I see it,91裸聊视频� he added. 91裸聊视频淚 hope it gets solved in a good way, otherwise my son, he says it. It91裸聊视频檚 going to hurt, hurt a lot, and one day, I don91裸聊视频檛 know if he91裸聊视频檚 going to go. You can see, he wants to cry. He91裸聊视频檚 so sad.

91裸聊视频淵esterday, after I told him I91裸聊视频檓 sorry, because I know it91裸聊视频檚 my fault, he looked at me and said, 91裸聊视频楧ad, you told me, and you told me the truth about what could happen, and just to let you know, I91裸聊视频檓 proud that you91裸聊视频檙e my dad.91裸聊视频� When he told me that, I feel good, you know, because I never lied to him about this.91裸聊视频�

With files from The Canadian Press.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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