This article discusses the SM decision of the European Court of Justice, concerning the right of entry and residence in the host member state of children raised by European citizens under the Algerian kafala. This case is not only about the right to respect for family life and the best interests of the child. It raises other important issues as well, such as the issue of communication and translation between different legal cultures in the field of family law, as well the issue of the limits of the rights and freedoms attached to the status of European citizenship. In the particular context of Brexit, the case also sheds light on the ongoing ideological struggle concerning the place of Europe and European law within British institutions.