Refugee wins stay in case challenging Canada's deportation process

[webfact]

Refugee wins stay in case challenging Canada's deportation process

By Anna Mehler Paperny

 

FILE PHOTO: Abdoul Abdi, 24, who came to Canada as a Somali refugee at age 6 and facing deportation after serving a criminal sentence, because no one got him citizenship while he was in foster care, speaks to Reuters in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 18, 2018. REUTERS/Anna Mehler Paperny/File Photo

 

TORONTO (Reuters) - A Canadian tribunal stayed the deportation hearing of a former foster child on Wednesday in a case that could have ramifications for hundreds of immigrant children who are wards of the state but do not have citizenship.

 

Abdoul Abdi, 24, faces deportation after serving a prison sentence for violent crimes. In foster care since age 7, the former Somali refugee had not obtained Canadian citizenship because child services did not file an application on his behalf.

 

The Immigration and Refugee Board decided to postpone a deportation hearing until a federal court weighs in, according to Abdi's lawyer, Benjamin Perryman, and decide whether it is reasonable or lawful to deport someone who is deportable because of government inaction - a decision that could alter the fate of hundreds of children.

 

Abdi said he did not know he was not a citizen until he received a letter from Canada Border Services Agency in prison informing him of his immigration status, he told Reuters.

 

The case is a high-profile example of the risks facing 1,300 immigrant children in foster care across Canada, according to a Reuters review of census data. When older, they could face deportation if they are charged with crimes before they have citizenship.

 

Emma Halpern, executive director of Nova Scotia's Elizabeth Fry Society, has dealt with three cases in three years of former foster children who never got citizenship, were found guilty of crimes and then faced deportation. Two eventually won the right to stay in Canada. One is still fighting.

 

Toronto-based legal aid service Justice for Children and Youth estimates that it receives five to 10 calls a year from people in this situation, said lawyer Emily Chan.

 

One former client grew up in foster care in Canada, became involved in criminal activity as a young adult and was deported to Mexico, where he knew no one, Chan said.

 

A class action launched earlier this month alleges the Ontario government failed in its duty to non-citizen children in its care by not ensuring they had permanent residency and the means to pursue citizenship.

 

Immigration and Refugee Minister Ahmed Hussen, who came to Canada as a refugee from Somalia, is looking at what options exist to get foster children citizenship, spokesman Hursh Jaswal said.

 

Canada deems parts of Somalia too dangerous to send deportees, but people deemed inadmissible for reasons of criminality can be deported there.

 

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Leslie Adler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-03-22

[FreddieRoyle]

Wow this poor refugee, shocking treatment of the guy. I wonder what his crime was, late paying his income tax maybe?? So shocking I did some googling, and in between the photos of him as a 5 year old baby some disturbing information was found(very well hidden by google btw). So this poor refugee had bashed a taxi driver 20 times in the head with the stock of his gun. 20 times!!?! With his .357 Magnum! Then while on remand he fired his gun a few times and punched a correctional officer in the head, and violently assaulted another.In prison he stabbed another inmate which was caught on cctv and clearly showed this "poor refugee" to be the aggressor. This goes on and on, a horrifying list of violent behavior.

 I would like to know why we are supposed to feel so sorry for this hateful criminal. Is his right to carry on with a life of violent crime in Canada(a country which kindly took him in and offered him an education, medical treatments, welfare, support) more important that the right of law abiding Canadian citizens to live without being bashed over the head by this lunatics guns? What a mess. What a complete mess. Sending him back to Somalia somehow feels too kind.

[mikebike]

As a Canuck the only issues for me here are why did the govt, his ward, abdicate their responsibility in making his citizenship claim, and the responses from US citizens with absolutely zero knowledge of the Canadian immigration system (working well for us thank you... 6th on 2018 global "happiness" survey... USA 18th).

 

Unfortunately this particular immigrant has issues, but no worse than many other, native-born Canadians. I'll take some useless chaff with the productive wheat.

[RichardColeman]

Deport him. He's had 18 years to fit in to his 'new' home and he has used and abused this opportunity. 

[stevenl]

42 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Deport him. He's had 18 years to fit in to his 'new' home and he has used and abused this opportunity. 

Canada failed it's duty. He is basically a Canadian, just without the citizenship. Time for Canada to fulfill its obligations.

[evadgib]

In Thailand you can be deported (at your own expence with no chance to appeal) for nicking 2x bottles of beer from a 7/11 while drunk.

[Whip]

He will soon be back in prison

Edited March 22, 2018 by Whip

[saakura]

11 minutes ago, evadgib said:

In Thailand you can be deported (at your own expence with no chance to appeal) for nicking 2x bottles of beer from a 7/11 while drunk.

And come back on visa exempt!!

[IAMHERE]

The Deportation thing seems to be working right, deport him. The part that needs overhauling is Child Services; stop importing future problems, especially from Somalia.

 

[Credo]

13 hours ago, FreddieRoyle said:

Wow this poor refugee, shocking treatment of the guy. I wonder what his crime was, late paying his income tax maybe?? So shocking I did some googling, and in between the photos of him as a 5 year old baby some disturbing information was found(very well hidden by google btw). So this poor refugee had bashed a taxi driver 20 times in the head with the stock of his gun. 20 times!!?! With his .357 Magnum! Then while on remand he fired his gun a few times and punched a correctional officer in the head, and violently assaulted another.In prison he stabbed another inmate which was caught on cctv and clearly showed this "poor refugee" to be the aggressor. This goes on and on, a horrifying list of violent behavior.

 I would like to know why we are supposed to feel so sorry for this hateful criminal. Is his right to carry on with a life of violent crime in Canada(a country which kindly took him in and offered him an education, medical treatments, welfare, support) more important that the right of law abiding Canadian citizens to live without being bashed over the head by this lunatics guns? What a mess. What a complete mess. Sending him back to Somalia somehow feels too kind.

The usual nonsense we've come to expect as well as no link.

 

The crux of this story has to do with the type of care given to an unaccompanied minor child.   He was removed from an aunt and kept in upwards of 31 different facilities.   The government did not make an application for citizenship for him.

 

From the beginning, the removal from what family he had is questionable.   As the custodian of a child, the state has an obligation to make the application for citizenship.    Is he a model citizen?   Apparently not, but with so many mis-steps along the way, deportation is at least questionable.   

 

 

[pegman]

*Deleted post edited out*

 

Try rereading the story slower next time. The gov was deporting him when a technical issue was raised and our courts are going to look further into it. Unlike your UK we have a constitution and charter of rights that needs to be adhered to. A Somali was deported back there a few years ago from my town and he was killed about 5 months later. It didn't raise an eyebrow. What's your opinion of the UK being over run by white Putin Mafia members tossing $$$ around?

[Ulic]

19 hours ago, pegman said:

*Deleted post edited out*

 

Try rereading the story slower next time. The gov was deporting him when a technical issue was raised and our courts are going to look further into it. Unlike your UK we have a constitution and charter of rights that needs to be adhered to. A Somali was deported back there a few years ago from my town and he was killed about 5 months later. It didn't raise an eyebrow. What's your opinion of the UK being over run by white Putin Mafia members tossing $$$ around?

I do agree that if this guy acts the way he does in Canada in Somalia he will not be long on this earth. But whose fault would that be? Those who deported a thug or him for his thuggish behavior. 

[thaibeachlovers]

10 hours ago, pegman said:

*Deleted post edited out*

 

Try rereading the story slower next time. The gov was deporting him when a technical issue was raised and our courts are going to look further into it. Unlike your UK we have a constitution and charter of rights that needs to be adhered to. A Somali was deported back there a few years ago from my town and he was killed about 5 months later. It didn't raise an eyebrow. What's your opinion of the UK being over run by white Putin Mafia members tossing $$$ around?

What's your opinion of the UK being over run by white Putin Mafia members tossing $$$ around?

My opinion is that they shouldn't be allowed in the country, let alone buy it up, but I don't stand to get rich by letting them do so.

 

If the Somali in the OP thought he could be a bad person without repercussions, I hope he gets to reflect at leisure from sunny Somalia.

Millions of children have horrible childhoods and don't become criminals.

Edited March 23, 2018 by thaibeachlovers

[simple1]

23 minutes ago, Ulic said:

I do agree that if this guy acts the way he does in Canada in Somalia he will not be long on this earth. But whose fault would that be? Those who deported a thug or him for his thuggish behavior. 

If you look at the guy's background I would guess a percentile of non Somalis would also end up involved with crime.

 

It's claimed the guy was abused as a child in Canada, moved around careers a lot (31 times) and did not receive counselling / integration support after witnessing terrible events in Somalia..

 

The takeaway should be for a government not to bring in vetted child refugees, indeed any vetted refugees from a high intensity Islamist war zone with the truly awful cruelties they are exposed, until full spectrum support services are available. IMO it is self defeating for a government humanitarian programs not to do so

Edited March 23, 2018 by simple1

[mrwebb8825]

On 3/22/2018 at 4:23 PM, stevenl said:

Canada failed it's duty. He is basically a Canadian, just without the citizenship. Time for Canada to fulfill its obligations.

You are so correct. They should definitely keep him. As a matter of fact, they should build an entire community around him. We in the US would be glad to help you with assimilation. We've got nearly 200,000 of his true countrymen getting ready to be shipped out an it would sure save us a lot of money to put them on a short bus trip north rather than a long, expensive flight southwest. Maybe your Trudeau could work that into the new NAFTA agreement. 

[sukhumvitneon]

6 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

You are so correct. They should definitely keep him. As a matter of fact, they should build an entire community around him. We in the US would be glad to help you with assimilation. We've got nearly 200,000 of his true countrymen getting ready to be shipped out an it would sure save us a lot of money to put them on a short bus trip north rather than a long, expensive flight southwest. Maybe your Trudeau could work that into the new NAFTA agreement. 

One can dream