Photo of Jonathan his twin and his parents.

We are calling on the Minister of Immigration and Immigration New Zealand to urgently intervene in the case of Jonathan Ta’eiloa, a New Zealand-born toddler facing the risk of becoming unlawfully present in New Zealand despite living with a severe acquired brain injury.

Jonathan was born in New Zealand and later sustained a serious brain injury that now requires ongoing medical and specialist care. His condition has been formally recognised as a treatment injury and is funded by ACC, meaning his care does not place an unreasonable burden on New Zealand’s public health system.

Jonathan’s parents and extended family all reside lawfully in New Zealand, are employed, and have consistently complied with immigration requirements. They are a stable, hardworking family who actively contribute to their local community and serve faithfully in ministry.

Despite these circumstances, Jonathan’s visa application has been declined on health grounds, placing him at risk of becoming unlawfully present in the country of his birth — through no fault of his own.

This situation raises serious concerns about fairness, compassion, and the best interests of the child, particularly for a child born in New Zealand, fully dependent on his caregivers, and already integrated into New Zealand’s medical and support systems.

We respectfully ask the Minister of Immigration to: 

• Exercise humanitarian discretion in Jonathan’s case
• Prevent him from becoming unlawfully present in New Zealand
• Ensure immigration policy is applied with compassion for medically vulnerable children and law-abiding families

 New Zealand has a strong tradition of fairness and care for the vulnerable. We urge decision-makers to act in the best interests of this child and his family.