“I’m not trash”: disabled immigrants confront New Zealand’s discriminatory immigration Policy

A white man in a wheelchair at a beach
Eugene Liapin

Welcome to Disability Crosses Borders, a home for the stories where disability, migration and culture meet. It’s a brand new podcast and blog. I’m your host, Áine Kelly-Costello, a disabled migrant myself. Find out more, support the show and post your comments at disabilitycrossesborders.com.

Today, I talk to two disabled migrants to Aotearoa New Zealand whose lives have been turned upside down by the layers of disability and health-based discrimination built into Immigration New Zealand’s policies. They share their stories and I ask them what needs to change so that disabled people’s rights and dignity are upheld.

They are Brazilian Juliana Carvalho and Russian Eugene Liapin.

Support or get in touch with Juliana via her website, on Instagram or on Facebook.

Support or get in touch with Eugene on Instagram or on facebook.

Read the transcript here.

With many thanks to Philippa Mullins for transcribing this episode.

By Áine Kelly-Costello

Blind freelance writer/journalist and campaigner from aotearoa NZ.