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Deportation

Friday December 6, 2024

December 6, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Canada faces an impending migration crisis as U.S. deportation policies under Trump threaten to drive undocumented migrants north, testing Canada's strained asylum system and its commitment to humanitarian values.

Editorial Cartoon by Greme MacKay – The Hamilton Spectator –  Friday December 6. 2024

Canada Braces for Fallout as Trump’s Deportation Policies Create a Looming Crisis

As Trump's immigration crackdown looms, Canada faces an urgent need for a unified, practical approach to manage a potential migrant surge at its border while balancing security and humanitarian responsibilities.

November 12, 2024

Canada is standing on the brink of a new migration crisis, one that could shake the foundations of its immigration system and challenge its international reputation as a haven for refugees. As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to enact sweeping deportation measures in the United States, the consequences are poised to spill over the northern border. The United States’ mass deportation policies, coupled with the chilling rhetoric of its new “border czar,” Tom Homan, are sending a clear message: undocumented migrants are no longer welcome. For many, the prospect of “self-deportation” seems unavoidable, and Canada is the most logical destination.

News: Trump’s New ‘Border Czar’ Tells Democrats To ‘Get The Hell Out Of The Way’

July 28, 2023

But is Canada ready? The federal government has signalled that it is not. Ottawa’s recent moves, including a reduction in immigration targets, a suspension of private refugee sponsorship programs, and a global ad campaign cautioning asylum seekers against coming, suggest a country retreating from its welcoming stance. These measures appear to be preemptive, aimed at alleviating strain on a system already stretched to its limits. With an asylum backlog of over 260,000 cases, a housing crisis, and social services under pressure, Canada’s capacity to absorb a new wave of migrants is severely compromised.

This shift in Canada’s immigration philosophy is stark. In the past, Canada’s response to global migration crises was defined by its generosity, epitomized by the resettlement of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees starting in 2015. Private sponsorship programs empowered communities to offer a lifeline to those fleeing war and persecution. That model was not only cost-effective but celebrated as a testament to Canadian values of compassion and inclusivity. Today, those same programs are on hold, leaving countless lives in limbo.

February 23, 2017

The government’s messaging emphasizes the difficulty of claiming asylum, framing it as a deterrence strategy. Yet this approach may prove futile against the desperation of those facing deportation from the United States. For undocumented migrants caught in the crosshairs of Trump’s hardline immigration agenda, Canada represents not just a choice but a necessity. Fear of ICE raids and the harsh reality of U.S. immigration enforcement will likely drive many to seek refuge north of the border, regardless of Ottawa’s attempts to discourage them.

News: Canada warns claiming asylum is ‘not easy’ with new global ad campaign

Canada’s restrictive turn carries broader implications. As anti-immigrant sentiments rise globally, including within Canada itself, the danger lies in conflating systemic issues—like housing shortages and bureaucratic inefficiencies—with the actions of migrants. This rhetoric risks eroding the multicultural fabric that has defined Canada for decades. Already, reports of increased racism and discrimination, coupled with growing public resentment toward immigrants, point to a troubling trend.

July 17, 2018

The timing of Canada’s policy shift could not be worse. Trump’s policies will create a wave of forced displacement, and Canada is unprepared to handle the repercussions. Yet, the country’s response to this challenge will define its character on the world stage. Will Canada lean into its humanitarian values and find innovative ways to support those seeking safety, or will it follow the path of deterrence and exclusion? The coming months will demand urgent action, not just to manage borders but to uphold the ideals that Canada has long championed. How Ottawa chooses to respond will resonate far beyond its borders, offering a test case for whether compassion can endure in an increasingly divided world.


There seems to be an uneasy calm before the storm regarding the impending wave of asylum seekers headed for Canada due to Donald Trump’s harsh deportation policies. In my latest cartoon, you’ll see Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Marc Miller casually shuffling around some red velvet stanchion ropes, seemingly unprepared for the flood of humanity that might soon be knocking at our door.

This cartoon serves as a stark reminder that while Trump focuses on the movement of drugs and tightening borders, the real human cost is often overlooked. Many undocumented migrants will—or have already begun—fleeing the U.S. and seeking refuge in Canada, yet our officials appear to be in denial about the potential crisis ahead. With Canada’s asylum system already stretched thin, the shift from a welcoming humanitarian approach to a more restrictive stance raises serious questions about our readiness to uphold our values.

There’s a sense that politeness reigns. What’s the point of getting bent out of shape about a crisis that hasn’t fully materialized yet? The challenging times we find ourselves in are partly due to the polite generosity of allowing too many in, which has led to several crises. Just in the past couple of days I’ve heard of several academic acquaintances of mine losing their long term positions because the government has stopped colleges from using foreign applicants as commodities to rake in foreign cash. Just one example of the ripple effects of poorly thought out generosity.

It’s crucial for us as Canadians to reflect on how we want to respond. Are we willing to embrace our tradition of compassion, or will we retreat into a mindset of exclusion? The future of our immigration policy is at a crossroads, and how we choose to act will not only affect those seeking safety but also shape Canada’s global reputation.

Please subscribe to my Substack newsletter, if you haven’t already. Posts come out every Friday as I summarize the week that was in my editorial cartoons. What you’re reading now is regarded as a “note”, which is used to help compose my weekly posts and showcase the animated versions of my daily editorial cartoons. Subscriptions will always be free – as long as my position remains as a staff editorial cartoonist. Thanks.

Please enjoy the making-of clip of my December 6 editorial cartoon, don’t forget to turn up the sound:

– The Graeme Gallery

Read on Substack

 

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: 2024-21, 2024-22, Border, Canada, Deportation, Donald Trump, Immigration, Justin Trudeau, Marc Miller, refugees, security, Substack, USA

Tuesday November 26, 2024

November 26, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

November 17, 2016

Fleeing America, destination Canada

Originally published November 18, 2016

To this day, I have yet to meet a single American who fled their homeland because Donald Trump became its President. Back in 2016, when Trump first won, I drew a cartoon poking fun at all the talk about Democrats packing their bags for Canada. It showed the belongings of undocumented migrants left behind at the southern border and, in the north, a similar scattering of items left by Democrats supposedly fleeing Trump’s America. The joke, of course, was that while lots of people said they were going to leave, very few actually followed through. Turns out, crossing a border is easier said than done.

Canada is dealing with more immigrants while also facing a shortage of doctors and healthcare workers, emphasizing the need for solutions to keep skilled professionals and help newcomers settle in.

February 6, 2024

Fast forward to 2024, and here we are again. Trump 2.0 is in full swing, and the same old chorus is back: “I’m moving to Canada!” Real estate websites are seeing spikes in searches from U.S. visitors. Immigration websites are getting hammered with traffic. On paper, it all sounds like history repeating itself. But just like in 2016, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for a mass exodus of anti-Trump Americans to actually materialize.

It’s not that people don’t want to go. For some, Canada is like this magical escape hatch—a land of universal healthcare, politeness, and hockey. But the reality? It’s not so simple. Immigration takes time, money, and mountains of paperwork. And with Canada’s foreign buyers’ ban still in place, Americans can’t just waltz in and buy a house in Calgary or Vancouver. Even renting isn’t straightforward when you need a visa to stick around longer than a tourist.

What feels different this time around, though, is what’s happening at the other border. Trump’s pledge to ramp up mass deportations has thrown undocumented migrants into crisis. While some Americans dream of leaving for political reasons, many undocumented people are staring down the possibility of being forcibly removed from their homes. For them, Canada isn’t a fantasy escape; it’s a potential lifeline. If even a fraction of Trump’s deportation plans become reality, the pressure on Canada’s border could get very real, very fast.

The Canadian dream for immigrants has turned into a harsh reality, prompting growing pressure to reassess immigration policies in the face of economic challenges, housing struggles, healthcare complexities, and cultural clashes.

January 19, 2024

The contrasts are striking. One group is toying with the idea of moving north because they’re unhappy with who’s in charge. The other might be forced to move—or try to—just to survive. But both groups face the same hurdles: Canada’s immigration system isn’t built to handle a surge like this, whether it’s disillusioned Democrats or desperate asylum seekers.

In the end, the real story isn’t about who’s leaving or staying. It’s about what drives people to even think about leaving the place they call home—whether it’s political disillusionment, fear, or sheer survival. For all the noise about migration, the belongings at the border, both literal and metaphorical, remind us that the decision to leave is never simple. – Graeme MacKay

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: "Silver Reflection", Deportation, diplomacy, Immigration, refugees

Tuesday November 12, 2024

November 12, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 12, 2024

Canada Cannot Wait: Urgent Action Needed as U.S. Migrant Crisis Moves North

Chrystia Freeland’s assurances that Canada will be “absolutely fine” under a Trump presidency lack specificity, leaving Canadians skeptical and searching for real solutions amid mounting challenges.

November 8, 2024

As Donald Trump prepares to take office again, Canada faces an impending crisis at its southern border. Trump’s commitment to mass deportations of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. could lead to a significant uptick in migrants attempting to cross into Canada, fleeing the threat of deportation in search of refuge. With two and a half months left until Trump’s inauguration, time is short, and Canada is unprepared for the consequences. Border officials, community groups, and advocates are sounding the alarm, yet there is a concerning lack of urgency from both the Trudeau government and the opposition. The need for a united, proactive, and practical approach is clear—if action is not taken immediately, Canada risks becoming overwhelmed by a migration surge that we are ill-equipped to handle.

The U.S.-Canada border, the longest in the world, is an expansive frontier that is not easily secured in every area. Even in the best of times, managing it requires resources, planning, and coordination between federal and provincial governments. The changes to the Safe Third Country Agreement last year eliminated the Roxham Road loophole, but the RCMP and border officials warn that people desperate for a safe haven will simply find other, more dangerous routes. Sgt. Charles Poirier of the RCMP confirmed that Canada’s federal police force has been planning for an influx along these remote paths but still requires more resources, personnel, and facilities to be ready for the worst-case scenario. With a lack of manpower at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the union representing border officers has stated that at least 2,000 to 3,000 more officers are needed to handle additional pressures effectively. Canada’s border cannot function effectively or humanely under the strain of a major surge without these essential resources.

News: Canada prepares for a rise in border crossings with threat of mass deportations under Trump

March 29, 2023

Canada’s immigration system is already under tremendous pressure. Our urban centres, particularly in Quebec and Ontario, have limited affordable housing. Canadian housing markets are stretched beyond capacity, with escalating rents and limited supply in both major cities and smaller communities. While immigration is vital to our economic growth, we are now dealing with the consequences of failing to provide sufficient housing and infrastructure to support newcomers. More migrants crossing the border without clear plans in place will only worsen these issues, adding to the strain on our social services and healthcare systems, which are already struggling to meet demand.

March 3, 2023

Canada is in no position to delay action. Yet, despite the immediate need, there has been little political response from the Trudeau government, aside from broad assurances of readiness from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. Meanwhile, it is unclear what Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative leader and potential future prime minister, proposes for Canada’s border. This should not be a matter for partisan bickering. With the U.S. election results clear, our leaders should have already convened to discuss a cross-party approach to a secure border strategy, ensuring Canada’s response prioritizes both compassion and pragmatism. Canada needs a unified stance, with every party working toward the same goal of preserving national integrity and security while managing the impending human impact.

It is critical that Canada establishes a balanced, decisive approach to processing asylum seekers and other migrants who may be forced north. This involves preparing our border forces to patrol effectively and humanely, securing facilities to house and process individuals, and instituting clear policies on documentation, security checks, and procedures for asylum claims.

News: RCMP already ‘on high alert’ for potential wave of migrants after Trump election

June 23, 2021

Canada must also take steps to ensure migrants understand the risks of illegal crossings, which can be deadly, especially in winter. The RCMP has reported tragic cases of hypothermia, frostbite, and even fatalities among those who have attempted to cross the border in recent years. We should provide clear, transparent information to prevent unnecessary tragedies and work to dissuade migrants from pursuing perilous routes.

At this juncture, Canada must also recognize its limits. We cannot absorb an influx of migrants beyond what we already handle each year without severely impacting housing, healthcare, and social services. Canada should look to work with international partners and humanitarian agencies to coordinate a response that addresses the broader regional implications of the U.S. crackdown on undocumented migrants.

October 14, 2021

This is a delicate, deeply consequential issue that demands a tough but fair response. Canada is a compassionate, welcoming nation, but to maintain this openness, we must ensure our borders and systems are not overrun. Canadians need to know that their government has a plan—a responsible, humane, and proactive approach to securing our border and managing any increase in asylum seekers resulting from U.S. policies.

This is not a crisis Canada can afford to leave to chance. Immediate action, resource allocation, and cross-party commitment are needed to ensure a balanced approach that protects our country while upholding our values. Canada’s response must begin now.


It’s baffling, honestly, why there isn’t more urgency in Canada about the wave that could soon be moving toward us. We know Donald Trump’s election victory has resurrected his immigration agenda, with a cornerstone policy aimed at deporting millions of undocumented migrants from the U.S. And there are only two places they could go: south to where they escaped, or north to us. Given that many entered through the southern U.S. border, one might guess that returning to the life-or-death situations they fled won’t be their first choice. They likely won’t wait around until Inauguration Day to gamble their futures. These individuals have endured family separations and seen kids held in cages, with the stark memory of it all still very much alive. Now, with the promise of new internment camps looming. internment camps, that’s right. Can anyone really blame them for looking to Canada?

Our government has expressed sympathy for immigrants, but we’ve yet to see any coherent plan or concrete support to prepare for what’s coming. Canada needs immigrants, and historically, we’ve done our part by accepting waves of new Canadians. It’s only right as a G7 country, especially since we’ve played a role in the conflicts and displacements that drive many to flee: think Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and beyond. This is a country of immigrants, built by waves of people who needed a second chance.

However, we’re already feeling the strains of past decisions. Housing markets are tight, our social systems are stretched, and yet we can’t afford to pretend that we can absorb an unlimited number of people without a plan. Trump’s deportation plan won’t be a slow simmer; it’s going to boil over fast, most certainly within his first hundred days. Probably before the year is out. Yet here we are, divided, stuck in Ottawa’s political bickering, and apparently convinced that someone else will rise to the challenge.

What’s baffling is that as Trump gears up for mass deportations, Canada’s leadership isn’t visibly uniting on this issue. This is the time for non-partisan action—a coordinated, realistic plan with all-party support to manage both our security and our responsibility to those seeking safety. Canada needs to wake up to what’s coming and start preparing now.

– The Graeme Gallery

Read on Substack

 

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: 2024-20, ASA, Border, Canada, Deportation, Donald Trump, Immigration, Justin Trudeau, migrants, Pierre Poilievre, security, Substack, undocumented

Friday September 8, 2017

September 7, 2017 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday September 8, 2017

Trump’s plan to end DACA could lead to influx of ‘Dreamers’ in Canada

President Donald Trump’s threat to end protections for those who entered the U.S. illegally as children could spark a new wave of immigration and asylum requests, some analysts warn.

If that happens, they say, Canada’s already stressed systems would come under further pressure and potentially intensify a backlash against newcomers.

About 1.7 million illegal migrants to the United States – the vast majority of them Mexicans – are either registered or qualify for registration under a five-year-old policy called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA. The program, which Trump wants ended, allows them to obtain work permits and protects them from deportation.

If even a fraction of those look north, it would still be a significant number of so-called Dreamers who might try to make Canada home.

Guidy Mamann, an immigration lawyer and policy analyst in Toronto, says he has already started getting calls and emails asking if Canada is an option.

“Now that there is a real question as to whether or not there is a permanent solution for these DACA kids, many of them are going to start to look towards Canada for both legal and possibly illegal entry,” Mamann said. “I suspect that we’re going to start seeing a real flow at this point because there is so much uncertainty.”

Younger Mexicans in the U.S. – those without completed higher education or solid work experience – are unlikely to qualify under Canada’s normal immigrant requirements. As a result, some might opt to claim refugee status, a process likely to take several years to play out, even for those whose claims are rejected.

Martha Batiz, an award-winning Mexican-Canadian writer and academic, said Canada would do well to put a system in place to welcome Dreamers, many of whom have grown up in the U.S. and are therefore culturally adapted and speak English as well as Spanish.

Otherwise, she said, they might feel desperate enough to create the kind of risky and uncontrolled influx recently seen with Haitian and African migrants.

“Canada has to step up,” Batiz said. “It would be better to have some system in place, even if it’s an imperfect system, so that (Dreamers) can apply legally, and Canada can decide who they are going to welcome.” (Source: Globe & Mail) 

 

Posted in: Canada, USA Tagged: Border, Canada, Daca, Deportation, Donald Trump, Dreamers, Immigration, Inukshuk, statue of Liberty, USA

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

May 15, 2013 by Graeme MacKay

Wednesday, May 15, 2013By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Canada deports ‘convicted terrorist’ after 26 years

Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney announced today that Mahmoud Mohammad Issa Mohammad, convicted in a deadly attack on an Israeli plane in the 1960s, has been deported to Lebanon a quarter-century after he was first ordered to leave Canada.

Kenney said the man, who is of Palestinian origin and has legal status in Lebanon, was flown out of the country on Saturday on a plane chartered by the Canada Border Services Agency.

“After a 26-year stay in Canada, we finally succeeded in deporting this convicted terrorist killer,” Kenney said at a news conference. “Mr. Mahmoud Mohammad Issa Mohammad represents just how broken Canada’s immigration and refugee determination systems had become under previous governments.”

Mohammad was ordered to leave Canada but filed a refugee claim. The application was denied but the legal wrangling continued for years. Mohammad was living in Burlington, Ont. His wife is a Lebanese national which is why he has travel documents for that country, Kenney said. His relatives were not deported.

Kenney said the legal proceedings have likely cost millions of dollars. The Conservative government has introduced a number of reforms to the immigration and refugee systems over the last few years, including cutting down the number of appeals that are allowed, and Kenney said this case proves why changes were needed.

“This is a cautionary tale. We should never allow a situation like this to happen again. Mr. Mohammad flagrantly violated Canada’s fair immigration laws and this country’s generosity,” he said. “He made a mockery of our legal system.” (Source: CBC News)

Posted in: Canada Tagged: Canada, Deportation, Editorial Cartoon, Immigration, Issa Mohammad, Jason Kenney, lawyers, terrorism

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