By Tobi Cohen, THE CANADIAN PRESS, 12th October 2009, 12:29pm
MONTREAL — Deportations from Canada have skyrocketed more than 50 per cent over the last decade and the bulk of those given the boot are failed refugee claimants who often return home to face torture and persecution. Figures obtained by The Canadian Press through Access to Information show Canada removed 12,732 people last year — a major increase from the 8,361 who were deported in 1999. A series of steady increases over the years shows no sign of abating in 2009. By Aug. 25 of this year, 8,999 had already been deported. Statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency show failed refugee claimants accounted for three-quarters of deportations while the remainder were often removed on criminal or security grounds.
By No One Is Illegal-Toronto – Monday, October 5, 2009
Some believe that the Canadian immigration system is fair and generous. It isn’t. And Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney are swiftly making it even worse. They are underhandedly taking apart the so-called ‘objective’ points-based system. They are moving quickly to get rid of its ‘humanitarian’ part, the refugee process. In its place, they are setting up temporary work programs that are designed to push most migrants in to vulnerable, precarious and temporary jobs without access to services or the ability to unionize.
by Stephen Lendman. Global Research, September 25, 2009
In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) established its largest investigative and enforcement branch – the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arm (ICE) “as a law enforcement agency for the post-9/11 era, to integrate enforcement authorities against criminal and terrorist activities, including the fights against human trafficking and smuggling violent transnational gangs and sexual predators on children (who are) criminal (and) terrorist” threats to the nation. Along with Muslims, Latinos are its prime targets, often using militarized unconstitutional tactics against vulnerable, defenseless people. Post-9/11, the Bush administration initiated them, and they continue under Obama.
By Jack Keating, Vancouver Province. September 9, 2009
VANCOUVER — Federal opposition MPs and local Vancouver religious and labour leaders will unite Thursday to urge Immigration Minister Jason Kenney not to deport an American war veteran turned war resister back to the U.S. Rodney Watson, 31, was ordered to leave Canada by Friday or he will face deportation, despite two majority votes by Parliament that support allowing U.S. soldiers opposed to the Iraq war to stay in Canada. Rev. Ric Matthews, of Vancouver’s First United Church, said Kenney should allow Watson and other U.S. war resisters to stay in Canada “as we did with those evaded the draft for Vietnam, and consistent with our own decisions in Parliament.
Controversy surrounds Greece’s efforts to deal with a growing influx of immigrants. The government is planning to create seven detention centres to hold illegal immigrants, to get them out of city centres and place them under tight control. But human rights groups claim the government’s plans are violating the rights of genuine asylum seekers fleeing war and persecution. Some migrant groups have held protests against their treatment, ending in confrontation with police. Al Jazeera’s Barnaby Phillips reports from Athens.
