Posted on: Friday, October 26, 2001

Immigration officials defer to Congress on deporting Thai chef

By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer

Immigration authorities in Honolulu are waiting to see if a rarely used form of congressional legislation will allow popular Thai chef Chai Chaowasaree to remain in the United States.

Donald Radcliffe, Hawai'i district director for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, yesterday said U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai'i, may submit legislation on Chaowasaree's behalf.

"The senator asked me to delay any removal proceedings until such time as he gets a report from a Senate subcommittee on the judiciary advising him on the appropriateness of such private legislation on Chai's behalf," Radcliffe said .

Radcliffe said the subcommittee received the inquiry several months ago.

"We are now making inquiries into where it is in the process," Radcliffe said. "It does seem that a lot of time has passed."

Chaowasaree has been fighting deportation since 1991, when the INS determined that his 1985 marriage to a Big Island woman was fraudulent and moved to deport him.

His problems were compounded when he left the United States last year to visit his ailing father in Thailand.

Upon his return, INS officials told him he had voided his appeal and violated the terms of his residency.