A 6-year-old blind and deaf girl from Tunisia is locked in a struggle to remain in Western Washington.

Racha Turki

Her family members are at risk of being deported back to their homeland, but they want to stay here because the child is flourishing in a special program in the Highline school district.
Racha, deaf and blind since birth, does not live in a dark world. She thrives in a garden of textures, shapes and motion. She is learning and growing in her classroom.
“When I first met her, her first sign was "mom," now she had 300 she uses and understands a lot more,” said vision specialist Annamarie Lockrem.
Her parents gave up everything in Tunisia so their daughter could receive this type of education. There are no similar programs in Tunisia.
“She is a wonderful girl, I did the best I could to stay here,” said her father, Chahir Turki.
The family’s tourist visa, issued in 1999, has expired They will soon appear before an immigration judge who will decide if they can stay or be deported.
While Racha’s teachers cannot comment on the family’s immigration status, they can talk about the impact of taking away programs that have done so much good.
“If that were taken away, she would be more introverted and possibly start self-damaging behavior,” said Lockrem. “It’s the parable - use it or lose it.”
A local immigration department spokesperson said the agency cannot comment at this time, but said the matter would soon be resolved in immigration court.

Cathy Kiyoumura
King 5 News
Seatac, Washington
Friday, October 1, 2004