More migrants fleeing religious persecution
A rising number of “irregular migrants” are arriving in Canada and saying they are victims of religious persecution.
Many of the roughly 60,000 of these migrants who found a way into Canada last year are claiming either political or, increasingly, religious persecution, according to an internal report by the Canadian Border Services Agency.
People leaving the growing number of countries where religious freedom is deteriorating are the most likely to claim being persecuted. Last year, more than 6,800 “irregular migrants” from India found their way to Canada, 5,365 from Iran, 3,891 from Nigeria, 2,465 from Pakistan and 1,920 from China.
The CBSA intelligence document, restricted to officials with a security clearance, uses the term “irregular migrant” to describe people who use illegal means to cross into Canada before applying as a refugee.
“Top nationalities for which religious persecution is most likely to lead irregular migration are: India, Iran, Nigeria, Pakistan and China. The downward trending of religious freedom around the world means that persecution due to religion continues to be a push factor for irregular migration,” says the unsigned CBSA document, which predicts there will be a surge in persecution claims from Egyptians.
The report reveals that more than four out of five claimants who arrived from India, Iran and China had found an unauthorized way to get onto Canadian soil before they made their “inland” application for refugee status. A smaller number asked to be viewed as asylum seekers when they arrived at either a land border crossing or a Canadian airport.
The report doesn't clarify which proportion claims religious persecution.
A Vancouver immigration specialist, Richard Kurland, obtained the CBSA document through an access to information request. Normally, Kurland said, about four out of 10 irregular migrants are eventually granted refugee status in Canada, regardless of whether they maintain they have been victims of political or religious persecution.
The uptick in the number of applicants in Canada making claims of religious persecution appears to be a sign of the times.
The Pew Research Center has found that, since 2007, governments around the world have generally imposed greater restrictions on religious freedom. China and Iran, major source countries of migrants to Canada, are among the worst for imposing limits on the way citizens practise their faith. Although China, an officially atheist state, says it permits religious freedom, it allows only five major religious groups to operate — and they're subject to control by the United Front and the Communist party. House churches, underground Catholics, Falun Gong members and Uighur Muslims face harassment, imprisonment and even torture.
Iran, an Islamic republic in which 98 per cent of the population is Muslim (mostly Shia), formally recognizes Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians, but not Baha'is, who are frequently imprisoned and persecuted as “misguided” Muslims. Religious minorities in Iran often report feeling threatened — and apostasy, specifically conversion from Islam, can be punishable by death.
In addition, Pew gives some its worst marks for “high levels of inter-religious tension” and “violence by organized groups” to the large migrant-source countries of India and Nigeria. It also lists Egypt and Pakistan, both Muslim-majority states.
While India is a secular state with a reputation for religious tolerance — since it is the birthplace of Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism — in recent decades there have been antisikh, anti-hindu, anti-muslim and anti-christian riots. There also are reports of vigilantism in regions run by the Hindu nationalist BJP Party.
Nigeria's population of 200 million is roughly divided between Muslims and Christians. In recent years gun battles have burst out between young, often educated members of rival Christian and Muslim sects, leading to dozens of deaths and the burning of mosques and churches.
No doubt there is severe religious persecution occurring in many places. But not all maltreatment narratives are believed by Canada's border officials, who reject the majority of irregular applicants.
Regardless of the reasons irregular migrants have for claiming refugee status, Kurland emphasizes, “The big question is: `How many of the failed applicants are actually removed from Canada?”
Canadian officials, like those in other immigrant-receiving nations, typically get around to forcibly removing only about 15 per cent of failed claimants, he said. The rest find ways to work with immigration officials to stretch out their stays in Canada for years.
“It's not Amazon.com. You can't just pack them up and return them,” Kurland said.
What is the common pattern for recent irregular migrants? The reality is that most who end up in Canada first go to the U.S., Kurland said, before they illicitly cross the land border into Quebec or Ontario.
Most don't apply for refugee status as they cross a land border or touch down at a Canadian airport, he said, because they justifiably fear being deported immediately.
(Government-assisted refugees are in a different category, since they come to Canada recommended and approved by the United Nations.)
There are weaknesses in the process of arguing you were persecuted for religious beliefs, Kurland said.
The main drawback is that border and immigration officials likely will ask why you didn't escape persecution by moving to another region of your own country. So-called “internal flight” is a common way to avoid harassment, especially in India, Pakistan and Nigeria.
Despite the many inconsistencies involved in the way Canada and other immigrant-receiving countries deal with irregular migrants, Kurland believes we don't have a terrible system. “Canadians don't have to light their hair on fire.”
Since the worst applicants are returned to their country of origin, the many others who find ways to drag out their stays often end up contributing. Many marry, find sponsors and hold down jobs, eventually obtaining permanent resident status.
“They're the ones who've beaten the Darwinian system.”
Oilsands producers know they must play a role in continuing to reduce not just the emissions ... but all environmental impacts. Many have already announced aggressive emissions reduction goals. Wes Jickling, Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance
Most who end up in Canada first go to the U.S. (before crossing) the border into Quebec or Ontario.