12 international students at Calgary protest referred to CBSA office after status check
Local police asked Canada Border Services Agency to check immigration statuses
asserted
police → refer → statuses
A dozen people who took part in a weeks-long international student protest in northeast Calgary have been flagged as "being possibly inadmissible" and, according to an immigration lawyer, could be forced to leave Canada.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) confirmed officers were called to attend the protest site on Wednesday to check attendees' immigration statuses.
According to a CBSA spokesperson, officers verified the statuses of 20 people, and 12 were identified as being possibly inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
uncertain
12 → take → Act
“The individuals were asked to attend the CBSA office later that day for a follow-up interview.
asserted
individuals → ask → interview
Due to privacy legislation, no additional details on these cases will be provided,” said the spokesperson.
asserted
spokesperson → provide → cases
The agency says everyone who's subject to immigration enforcement action, including those ordered to be removed from Canada, "have access to due process before the law."
asserted
who → say → law
International graduates and others in support of their cause had been protesting issues with work permits at Saddletowne Circle, down the street from the Genesis Centre, for weeks.
asserted
graduates → protest → weeks
Similar protests are happening in Edmonton, with some Alberta students participating in hunger strikes to draw attention to the issue.
asserted
students → happen → issue
Protesting work permit denials
Some graduates who studied at Portage College say they were under the impression they would be eligible for post-graduation work permits when they finished school.
asserted
they → protest → school
But once they applied, many of their permits were denied.
asserted
many → apply → permits
Portage College says it’s seeking clarification from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
asserted
it → say → Immigration
“Portage College's understanding was that students enrolled in non-credit public-private partnership programs prior to May 15, 2024 would be eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, if they were enrolled before the May 2024 changes, consistent with the information available at the time and the way these applications had historically been administered by IRCC,” said spokesperson Andre Delaire.
uncertain
Delaire → enrol → IRCC
CBC News has reached out to IRCC for comment.
asserted
News → reach → comment
Calgary police requested status check
It was the Calgary Police Service that called the CBSA for help on Wednesday.
asserted
that → request → Wednesday
In a statement to CBC News, a police spokesperson said the demonstration began on July 24 and “has largely been peaceful in nature,” but police had received complaints about excessive noise, obstructing businesses, disturbances and public intoxication.
asserted
police → say → businesses
On Wednesday, police responded to a report of people blocking parts of the sidewalk and impeding pedestrians.
asserted
people → respond → pedestrians
“During that interaction, officers requested identification from individuals who had set up tents or other structures without a permit on city property,” said a CPS spokesperson.
asserted
spokesperson → request → property
“As a result of concerns related to the identification provided, officers contacted the Canada Border Services Agency for verification.”
asserted
officers → relate → verification
The CBSA said officers were initially called to check the status of four people, and after two of them were “not in compliance with their immigration status,” they did a broader check.
asserted
they → say → check
‘Like sheep waiting for the fox’
Jatin Shory, a Calgary immigration lawyer with Shory Law, is representing roughly a dozen students challenging their work permit denials in federal court.
asserted
Shory → wait → court
He advised them not to attend any public protests.
asserted
He → advise → protests
“This situation is unique in the immigration context because it is a large group of now officially undocumented individuals effectively advertising that they’re undocumented,” said Shory.
asserted
Shory → advertise → individuals
“It’s like sheep waiting for the fox to come into the den.”
asserted
fox → ’ → den
Shory said CBSA has the right to investigate any tips it receives, and it’s likely the agency wanted to send a message “that immigration in Canada is fully transforming and you have to kind of get used to it.”
asserted
you → say → it
While the CBSA wouldn’t say whether the 12 people attended their interviews or what the outcome of those meetings was, Shory said there’s a common next step.
asserted
Shory → say → meetings
“It’s very common that if you were without status inside of Canada, you’re called in for an interview with CBSA, that you will be issued an exclusion order,” said Shory.
asserted
Shory → ’ → order
An exclusion order “means an individual must leave Canada immediately, confirm departure with the CBSA and cannot return to Canada for one year,” according to the CBSA website.
uncertain
individual → mean → website
Shory said there are legal avenues people can take to fight that order, but they’re tough to win.
asserted
they → say → order
Removal could be enforced within weeks, he said.
uncertain
he → enforce → weeks
