NEW YORK, USA — The Georgia-based attorney who says he was inspired to run for a seat in the United States Congress to help deportees like Jamaican Godfrey Wade has cleared the first hurdle, winning the Democratic Party’s primary in the state’s 7th Congressional District.

Tony Kozycki, an immigration lawyer, said he was disgusted by the system when he represented Jamaican-born US veteran Godfrey Wade and discovered how difficult it was to get him his day in court for a repaid bounced cheque and an unproven assault charge 12 years ago.

Wade, who lived legally in the US for 50 years, served overseas in the military and was honourably discharged. After being flagged for the offences he was deported to Jamaica earlier this year. Kozycki has since been fighting the case, with little success. He never became a US citizen.