an alliance of university, community, and government partners dedicated to fostering welcoming communities and promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Canada
The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
Toronto Star – Would-Be Immigrants Take Ottawa to Court Over Cancelled Applications
Would-be immigrants are taking the federal government to court over its decision to return their applications. They’re angry about the Conservatives’ move to legislate away a backlog of some 280,000 applications created before 2008. The government announced the decision in its March budget, saying it’s a necessary part of modernizing the immigration system. But Toronto lawyer Lorne Waldman said he was immediately flooded with emails by people who were furious about the changes.
This week the House of Representatives is considering a proposal to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, first enacted in 1994, but in a new version that would significantly undermine the same U visa program that provides [immigrants] with safety and permanency in the United States. […] Specifically, this version would remove the incentive of permanent safe haven in the United States for women who help bring abusers to justice. By changing the U visa from permanent to temporary, the bill could validate an abuser’s threat that a call to police could result in deportation. Many women would keep quiet rather than risk immigration consequences.
CBC – Immigration Rally Draws 300 to Sask. Legislature
About 300 people gathered outside the Saskatchewan legislature to voice their opposition to changes to the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program. The province has decided to limit the number of family members who can be nominated to join a family already settling in Saskatchewan. As well, people seeking to immigrate under the program will need to show they have a job offer.
Global Saskatoon – Saskatchewan Newcomers Upset About Immigration Changes
Minister Norris says the policy had to be changed because of pressures from the Federal Government, but also because some were abusing the system. As of Friday the province had 600 families sponsoring six to 18 family members each to come to Saskatchewan, and that was simply too many. The Federal Government has also mandated that immigration programs should be targeted to help the local labour market. That’s why Saskatchewan is only accepting skilled workers. But the Pakistan Cultural Association says they would like the Minister to allow those who have already started the process to finish it. Otherwise, there’s nothing else tying them to Saskatchewan.
International Business Times – As Obama Administration Orders “Secure Communities” Immigration Program, New York Pushes Back
Known as Secure Communities, the program enlists state and local law enforcement officers to help pursue undocumented immigrants by requiring officers to enter the fingerprints of anyone they arrest into a federal database. Officials at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security can then check those prints for a match and, if the person arrested is undocumented, initiate deportation proceedings. Some Democratic states have pushed back and sought to suspend their participation in the program, New York among them. In addition to voicing concerns that the program was leading to the indiscriminate deportation of massive numbers of immigrants, officials said they had been misled about whether the program was mandatory.
The Guardian – UK Border Agency “Detaining Children in Degrading Conditions” at Heathrow
The Heathrow independent monitoring board (IMB) says children of all ages are being detained at the airport for immigration purposes almost every day, and are sometimes kept overnight. They are held in rooms that are small, stuffy and have no natural light. There is no access to the open air, no sleeping accommodation and only hand basins for washing. They often share space with unrelated adults and can be held in these conditions for many hours.
