Conservatives call for extortion suspects’ deportations after refugee claim delays

Conservatives are demanding urgent reforms to Canada’s refugee system after reports revealed that 14 suspected members of an alleged extortion ring filed refugee claims.

Source: Rawpixel

Conservatives are demanding urgent reforms to Canada’s refugee system after reports revealed that 14 suspected members of an alleged extortion ring filed refugee claims, effectively blocking their immediate deportation. The message from the Opposition is clear: they must be kicked out.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has run into a roadblock in its efforts to deport 14 immigrant suspects accused of extortion, as reported by Global News‘ Stewart Bell.

B.C.’s Extortion Task Force flagged the individuals to the CBSA for investigation. However, all of the suspects claimed refugee status, which delays deportation. The CBSA must now wait for the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) to decide on the legitimacy of their asylum claims.

B.C.’s Extortion Task Force, a multi-police agency investigative team, was launched in September to “strengthen investigations into the extortion threats targeting families and businesses in the South Asian community.”

A CBSA spokesperson declined to confirm the suspects’ country of origin, according to the article. The alleged crimes could be a factor in the IRB’s determination of their asylum claims.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre weighed in on Thursday, saying the individuals should be charged, convicted and deported.

“No more loopholes. No more excuses,” he said on X.

Conservative Immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner similarly spoke out about the incident, saying Liberals struck down an ammendment to Bill C-12 that would have “stopped non-citizens convicted of serious crimes from making bogus asylum claims.”

“A claimant would not have their claim referred to the IRB if they are guilty of serious criminality. This is clear. This is necessary, and it would be fair,” Rempel Garner said during an immigration committee on October 21, while introducing the defeated motion. “Serious criminality can be not be rewarded with refugee protection in Canada. Canadians expect us to protect them and uphold the sanctity of the asylum system. “

https://x.com/MichelleRempel/status/1999235625992560949?s=20

Immigration lawyer Sergio Karas told True North that he agrees with Conservatives that the asylum system needs reform and that individuals involved in serious crimes should not be able to stay in Canada for years by exploiting the immigration system.

“Individuals who are charged with a criminal offence in Canada should not have access to the refugee system, which they use simply to delay deportation. Also, persons who have claimed refugee status and commit a crime should be deported immediately, and their claims should be terminated,” he told True North. “These actions require a legislative change to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), but they are necessary to protect the public, which should be the priority for any government.”

He said allowing criminals to use the refugee system to delay deportations for years “makes a mockery of Canada and makes Canadians easy to target for abuse by nefarious actors.”

He noted the IRB has a backlog of over 300,000 cases and that “common sense” would dictate that cases of serious criminality should be a priority to avoid criminals delaying deportation for years.

“The refugee decision is never the end of the matter, as those rejected file appeals, judicial review, and humanitarian and compassionate review applications to delay deportations for years,” Karas said. “In some instances, they can linger over a decade.”

Karas recommends that the federal government introduce legislative amendments to IRPA to prevent individuals charged with crimes from accessing the refugee system.

“There should be a provision to terminate refugee claim applications when a claimant has been convicted of a crime in Canada, or if information exists that they may pose a danger to the public,” he said.

He noted that adding a provision to terminate the refugee claims of criminals or individuals who pose a danger to the public may require using the notwithstanding clause to prevent Charter challenges.

“We need to get back to common-sense measures to only allow those in legitimate need to access refugee status,” Karas said. “The current system has failed and has been abused by those who just want to delay deportations.”