The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has embarked on a large-scale countrywide deportation campaign, issuing more than 30,000 deportation orders in a wholesale crackdown against illegal immigrants. As reported by several recent news stories and quotes from immigration experts, this action is raising high concern—particularly in the Punjabi community, since many of those being deported are youths whose work permits or study visas have expired.
Who is targeted?
The enforcement actions of the CBSA are targeted at three key groups:
- People who have had their claims for asylum rejected
- People with criminal backgrounds
- Students and employees who have overstayed or breached the conditions of their visas.
Immigration officials quoted in these reports corroborate the fact that most of those being deported are failed asylum seekers, who account for more than 88%, and a large number of them are of Punjabi descent. In the face of an increased number of asylum applications, sources point to the fact that 98-99% have been deemed fraudulent, which has necessitated the government taking tough measures.
Impact on the Punjabi community
This has created shockwaves in Canada's Indian diaspora, specifically among Punjabis. Several of the youth who had come to Canada in pursuit of better prospects now risk deportation. Punjabi media and social media are filled with debates on the topic, as most of the persons impacted are students or previous work permit holders.
CBSA's role and the road ahead
CBSA has made it clear that deportees will have to pay hefty fees and reapply if they ever want to be back in Canada. This step reflects the Canadian government's resolve to ensure the integrity and transparency of its immigration process.
The allegation that 30,000 young people—many of them Punjabis—are scheduled to be deported from Canada, with the Canada Border Services Agency at the helm, is upheld by various recent news stories and immigration specialists. This tough measure has become a mainstay of concern for the Punjabi diaspora and the larger Indian diaspora in Canada.