MMIGRATION issues are often messy and emotional, but that just makes it even more important that we get them right.

After all, we are dealing with peoples' hopes and dreams. We're talking about individuals, couples, families, even extended families. Often there is a domino effect.

Allowing someone a new start can be the beginning of a dynasty, just as surely as denying someone else can cause an extended family to collapse and fall apart.

That's the heavy weight that lies with our immigration decision-makers. Because it's not altogether true to say that home is where the heart is.

For many people, if you take them away from their home, you take away a piece of their heart.

A case in point was Robert Jovicic, whose plight has been well documented after he was deported to Serbia (he moved to Australia when he was two) after a series of crimes to feed his drug habit.

He camped on the steps of the Australian embassy in Belgrade and threatened to stay there until he died. Jovicic returned to Australia on a short visa. He has medical problems and his family say they have spent $200,000 on legal fees to get him back in this country permanently.

Because of its high profile, the case can be expected to be resolved relatively expediently. Others, meanwhile, still teeter on the brink of uncertainty.

PEOPLE like married couple George and Donna Copland. George is an Australian and Donna is from Milwaukee in the US.

Their love story is not the heady stuff of romance novels. They met over the internet -- and that still raises eyebrows -- but they communicated daily.

Two people seemingly set in their ways were drawn to each other. When George asked her to come to Melbourne for a visit, she agreed.

Donna, 52, said her family thought she was "crazy". Who could blame them?

She had never met this man, but knew to trust her instincts.

"I knew George. I knew he was real, a genuine person who never lied and was always upfront with me," she said.

On that first visit Donna stayed three weeks and fell in love -- with George and Australia.

"I knew it was right as soon as I saw George at the airport. We hit it off," she said.

Before she returned to America, George proposed and Donna accepted. But what started out like a dream has become a nightmare.

In an email she sent to many in the media Donna asked for help. She didn't exactly get knocked down with inquiries. The media can be as suspicious as any immigration official.

But when I phoned I found a funny, articulate, but worried woman who fears she will be forced to leave Australia.

Donna says that although she has complied with all the Immigration Department's requests, she has been labelled "illegal".

With candour, she says she and George are on medication for stress and that they have spent their savings fighting the department's surprise decision.

All up they have spent about $30,000, but her biggest worry is being separated from George and her stepson Shannon and his family.

"We have done nothing wrong," Donna said. "George and I have done everything that has been asked of us, but we are told one thing by one person and something different by the next."

She said it was a terrible feeling not to be able to plan for the future.

Donna said she was made to feel like a criminal the first time she returned to Melbourne after an overnight trip to New Zealand.

"Before I moved to Australia I had to organise an electronic travel visa through my travel agent," Donna said.

"I was told that for it to remain valid, I had to leave Australia every three months. That is why I went to New Zealand."

At Melbourne Airport she was told the visa had expired. "That was the first we knew there were problems."

They then appealed to the Migration Review Panel, but it found that though Donna had done nothing wrong intentionally, her visa was invalid and had been since January 2005.

Family and friends have now organised a petition of support.

"We are a happily married couple," Donna said. "All we are asking is to be allowed to live the rest of our lives together."

THE Altona Meadows couple are now appealing to Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone in the hope she will intervene.

Last month, Senator Vanstone overturned an Immigration Department visa decision in favour of American-born Alaina Gubecka, married to Craigieburn man Martin.

That has given Donna and George some hope, but you can't live on hope alone.

They need someone to show some compassion. They need someone to believe in them.

Comment by Jacqui Yang: Great News! We have since received a favourable decision from the Minister of Immigration's office.

Mrs Copland retained me to act on her behalf, after she saw Alaina Gubecka's story on the news and got my contact details from her. As I was successful with Mrs Gubecka's ministerial intervention appeal, we did hope that Senator Vanstone or her delegate would also find in Mrs Copland's favour.

Mrs Copland has now been granted a 6 month Visitor visa with full work rights (something that is completely unheard of!), in order that she can make her Partner visa application. Congratulations to Donna and George Copland!