A group of individuals who participated in a prolonged international student demonstration in northeast Calgary are facing potential deportation due to concerns over their admissibility status, an immigration attorney revealed. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) dispatched officers to assess the immigration statuses of attendees at the protest site on Wednesday.
Out of the 20 individuals whose statuses were verified by CBSA officers, a dozen were flagged as potentially inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. These individuals were requested to attend follow-up interviews at the CBSA office later that day, with no further details disclosed due to privacy regulations, according to a CBSA spokesperson.
The agency emphasized that individuals subject to immigration enforcement, including removal orders, are entitled to due process under the law. The protest, held near the Genesis Centre at Saddletowne Circle, was organized by international graduates and supporters to raise awareness about work permit issues.
Similar demonstrations are taking place in Edmonton, with Alberta students resorting to hunger strikes to highlight their concerns. Graduates from Portage College expressed disappointment after being denied post-graduation work permits despite expectations of eligibility.
Portage College is seeking clarification from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding the permit rejections. An IRCC spokesperson clarified that students commencing their studies before May 2024 are not impacted by the recent changes, affirming that the refusals pertain to specific agreements tied to eligible study programs.
Calgary Police Service requested assistance from CBSA following complaints about the ongoing protest, which had been relatively peaceful but faced issues like excessive noise and obstruction. Officers intervened when individuals obstructed sidewalks without permits, leading to a request for identification, subsequently prompting CBSA verification due to concerns raised about compliance with immigration status.
Jatin Shory, an immigration lawyer representing a group of students challenging permit denials in federal court, advised against public protests. Shory highlighted the unique situation where a large group of undocumented individuals were potentially exposed by their participation in the protest, likening it to vulnerable prey awaiting predators.
CBSA’s involvement in status verification was intended to signal the evolving landscape of immigration enforcement in Canada, according to Shory. The next likely step for those called in for interviews without legal status could be receiving an exclusion order, mandating immediate departure and a one-year prohibition on returning to Canada.
While legal options exist to contest exclusion orders, Shory cautioned that such challenges are arduous to win, potentially leading to swift enforcement of removal within weeks.