Jaishree Malik, a former event organiser at Trinity College Dublin, has lost a year-long fight with Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs to renew her work visa and must now return to India. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/The Guardian

Jaishree Malik bounds on to the Cheeky Monkey comedy club stage and brandishes an envelope – it is a letter from the Irish government. Would the audience like to hear what’s in the letter?

“Yeah,” the first rows reply. She repeats the question, prompting a louder response. “Yeah!”

Malik extracts typed A4 pages and begins to read. “I wish to advise you that under section 3 of the immigration act 1999, the minister for justice, home affairs and migration is proposing to make a deportation order in your case.”

A nervous laugh ripples across the audience, then there’s a pause. “Oh,” says someone.

Malik beams. “Don’t worry, it’s not for you.” She resumes reading.…