TERESA Humphries was suddenly sacked from her £16,000-a-year York job - because she is American.

Despite the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States, chiefs at the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) terminated 33-year-old Teresa's contract of employment under a 90-year-old Act of Parliament, which itself may soon be scrapped.

In the week Government chiefs were embarrassed by the discovery of cleaners working illegally at the Immigration And Nationality Directorate's HQ, in Croydon, finance officer Teresa was left heartbroken after having to leave the job she loved.

Teresa is married to a York man and has a visa which allows her to remain and work indefinitely in Britain. But MHS personnel bosses told her last month her contract was unlawful under the 1919 Aliens Restriction Act, which forbids the employment of foreign nationals in civil service occupations.

Teresa had worked for the MHS, which is affiliated to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), since November 2001.

The Peasholme Green-based body said routine checking of its files revealed it had been employing Teresa illegally.

In a cruel twist for Teresa, who lives with husband Michael in Boroughbridge Road, it has emerged that an MP is piloting a bill which could see this law repealed.

But that has come too late for Teresa, who is now unemployed.

"I have never made any attempt to hide my being an American, and made it quite clear at the initial interviews for the position," Teresa said.

"I produced my passport, which was checked and photocopied by the human resources department. It was never stipulated at any point during the recruitment process that my being an American citizen precluded me from being eligible to work in a Governmental department.

"On the day, my manager took me to a meeting and said 'just remember you've done nothing wrong'.

"I practically started crying in the hallway. They got me into the meeting and said: 'We're going to have to let you go'."

In a letter from Monica Redmond, director of human resources, Teresa was told the MHS would consider a new application for employment - if she became a British citizen.

But Teresa said: "I am an American. That's where my parents are. I want my children to have dual nationality. I love living here, but I am proud to be an American."

Teresa, who is originally from Chicago, said she was still in dispute with the MHS over the return of nearly £1,000 in pension payments and a compensation package.

"Despite being assured that I would soon be offered a redundancy package with appropriate compensation, to date this has not been forthcoming, even after several attempts to ascertain the amount to be offered," she said.

'Sorrow' at decision - but still she had to go

An MHS spokesman said there was a "degree of sorrow" in the organisation at the plight of Teresa Humphries.

"We had no alternative under the 1919 piece of legislation," he said.

"We continue to be in touch with Teresa and to help her as much as we can in finding alternative employment.

"We are still talking to her in terms of some sort of recompense for what has happened to her, and we are discussing this with lawyers at the Treasury and the Cabinet Office.

"That question is still ongoing and we are awaiting further advice.

"It is true to say that Teresa has a pronounced Chicago accent, and this situation came to light during some routine checking of our files.

"We discovered we should not have employed Teresa. It is most unfortunate."

Updated: 12:42 Wednesday, May 24, 2006