An immigrant from Albania, who worked at a New York diner for 24 years, has claimed that he wasn’t allowed to call his wife and children before he was deported in April.
Sokol Vokshi, 47, also known as Sal, was ‘everyone’s favorite waiter’ at the Golden Reef diner on Long Island before he was deported.
The married, father-of-two claims he was sent back to his native country on April 4 before he was able to see his daughters, ages 12 and 14.
Sokol Vokshi, 47, an immigrant from Albania, who worked at a New York diner for 24 years, has claimed he wasn’t allowed to see his wife and two daughters (right) before he was deported in April
Vokshi (pictured), who owns his home in Elmont, New York, is currently in Durrës, Albania
‘I didn’t know what hit me,’ Vokshi told the New York Post on Monday.
Vokshi, who owns his home in Elmont, New York, is currently in Durrës, Albania.
According to a GoFundMe account, Vokshi has been trying to become an American citizen since he arrived in New York in 1993.
Vokshi was a young political asylum seeker at the time and once he arrived to America, he registered with the federal government and was given a Social Security number, according to the Post.
But his application to live in the US was denied in 1997 and he was told to leave the country.
However, lawyers told him to stay and appeal.
‘They told me, “Stay, during your appeal. Keep working, keep at it,” he told the Post.
Now, Vokshi is working to ‘overcome his quest for citizenship, tend to his autistic daughter, and be with his family’, the GoFundMe account read.
Vokshi has been trying to become an American citizen since he arrived in New York in 1993. He was a young political asylum seeker at the time and once he arrived to America, he registered with the federal government and was given a Social Security number
A customer at the Golden Reef diner (pictured) created a GoFundMe account to raise money for Vokshi’s lawyer. If Vokshi is unable to get a visa back to the US, his family will join him in Albania
The account was created by a customer at the Golden Reef diner to raise money for Vokshi’s immigration lawyer.
‘Sal is the guy we shared our meals with for years. We talk sports, politics, weather, and family. The money will be shared with Sal through Western Union or hopefully once he receives his Albanian passport he can engage in normal banking,’ the account read.
So far, the account has raised more than $11,000.
Jimmy Trahanas, the owner of the Golden Reef Diner told the Post that ‘customers were upset’ when Vokshi didn’t come in on the day he was detained.
‘Everybody was asking for him.’
His immigration lawyer, Altin Nanaj, told the Post that the deportation was highly unusual because Vokshi ‘is a model family man who worked day and night’, adding that Vokshi doesn’t have a criminal record.
‘ICE is after everybody,’ Nanaj said.
If Vokshi is unable to get a visa back to the US, his family will join him in Albania.