Solidarity Across Borders demanding immigration minister stop deportation in Montreal

Family and supporters of a man facing deportation on Aug. 31, are demanding that immigration minister Marc Miller stop his deportation and release him from detention.

Solidarity Across Borders, an organization that advocates for the rights of refugees and immigrants, held an emergency rally at immigration minister Marc Miller’s office Monday in Montreal. They are pressing the immigration minister to allow the man, who is referred to as Mr. S for safety reasons, to stay in the country until a spousal sponsorship application made with his wife Fatima has been processed.

“He’s my husband. I’m in love with him. He’s my family. He’s everything to me. He’s not just the person, you know. He’s my husband,” said Fatima, wife of Mr. S.

“I can’t let him go because my sponsorship is already in and it’s already over a year, so he shouldn’t just leave like that.”

(Courtesy: Gareth Madoc-Jones, CityNews image)

(Courtesy: Gareth Madoc-Jones, CityNews image)

(Courtesy: Gareth Madoc-Jones, CityNews image)

Solidarity Across Borders shared in a press release that Mr. S is being held at the Laval Immigration Holding Centre pending deportation. They state that the application for spousal sponsorship had been filed more than a year ago. They add that they are concerned about the impact that the separation will have on Fatima if she is separated from her husband.

“A survivor of gender violence, Fatima has been re-traumatized by her husband’s arrest and threatened deportation,” wrote Solidarity Across Borders.

”He is with his wife and deporting someone away from their family, separating a family like that is is just absolutely unacceptable,” added Mary Foster, Solidarity Across Borders.

(Courtesy: Gareth Madoc-Jones, CityNews image)

(Courtesy: Gareth Madoc-Jones, CityNews image)

Solidarity Across Borders is also calling on Minister Miller to regularize undocumented migrants in Canada, so that “people like Fatima and her husband are no longer placed in such situations.” Regularization would remove some of the current limitations for undocumented people residing in Canada as well as adding additional support to make applying for and receiving permanent resident status more accessible.

“All undocumented migrants, all migrants who are at risk of being deported should and who live in the in the communities around us, who are our friends, our classmates, the people who serve us in restaurants should have the same status and the same rights as everyone else,” said Foster.

MORE:

• Elderly couple living in Montreal face deportation to India
• Montreal musicians hold outdoor concert as rally, call on Ottawa to regularize migrants
• ‘The situation is an emergency’: Protest to reopen Roxham Road border crossing

“In Canada right now, there is a labor shortage. Canada’s recruiting individuals went abroad. The government has a very ambitious immigration target, and yet it is there in Canada. The government is not letting them stay,” said Viviane Albuquerque, Canada and U.S. Immigration lawyer.

(Photo Credit: Martin Daigle, CityNews)

(Photo Credit: Martin Daigle, CityNews)

In a written response, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said they cannot comment on individual cases due to privacy legislation. However, they stated that every individual facing removal is entitled to due process, but once all avenues to appeal are exhausted, they are removed from Canada in accordance with Canadian law.

“I want Mr. Miller to come forward and stop my husband deportation. If he separate us from each other, it’s going to be really hard on me It’s not gonig to be that easy just thinking about it. Knowing my husband going to be taken away from me is it’s like so hard I can’t even I haven’t been sleeping and eating properly. Since he’s been detained,” said Fatima.