UPDATE: DEPORTATION DELAYED FOR VALEDICTORIAN

KSEE, CA June 11 2008

The 17-year-old Fresno valedictorian facing deportation later this
month learned he and his family may not be leaving as soon as they
thought.

Multimedia Watch The Video Arthur Mkoyan and his family were told they would be deported back to Armenia on June 20.

But late this afternoon, on the very day of Mkoyan’s graduation from Bullard High, word came down from Senator Diane Feinstein’s office that a private bill has been introduced that would allow the family to stay indefinitely.

The Mkoyan family fled Armenia in 1992, fearing for their lives after their house was set on fire. The family settled here in Fresno in 1995 and has since made a life for themselves.

Over the years, Mkoyan excelled in school and this year achieved just over a 4.0 grade point average, and was named a valedictorian.He has already been accepted to UC Davis and wants to study medicine.

The bill will now have to pass through both the House of Representatives and the Senate.If it clears those hurdles it will then move on to Senator Ted Kennedy’s sub-committee on immigration, where it will be investigated.

In the meantime, the Mkoyan family will be allowed to remain in the U.S.

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