Illegal immigration – The government must act NOW

Influxes of Refugees claimants’ are entering into Canada every day. Majority of them are coming either from our south neighbor USA or through USA. Among all refugee claimants’, majority are coming from Nigeria. This is a new human trafficking route. Human traffickers are bringing Nigerians to USA through visit visa and then send them back to Canada. The human traffickers are dumping these people by the illegal border of New York and Quebec, Roxham Road. Everyday couple of hundreds of people are crossing this illegal boarder and entering into Canada. As soon they cross they the boarder, RCMP arrest them and take away their passports from them and they seek refugee status immediately. People from other countries such as Egypt, hungry, Romania, other African countries, Iran and Haitians are also part of refugee influx. Canada has opened its illegal borders since Trump got elected.

Who are these refugee claimants’? People are not only coming from war zones, people are also coming from non war zones. Canada is accepting refugees without any background check. Is this under human rights ground? A number of people with criminal charges and illegal immigrants who had been living in the USA for decades are just crossings the USA boarder. New waves of Nigerian families are travelling to USA to come to their final destination Canada.

What could be the possible outcomes of this acceptance? A significant number of them will face very dire and harsh circumstance soon. A number of refugee claimants will not finally be able to afford their lawyers and win their refugee claims or prove their vulnerability in their own countries. They will not get any Canadian status in near future; they will not be able to get any health card or health benefits, they will not be able eligible for any social safety programs, they will not be able to do any work legally. What does these mean? They will not get any dignity in Canada.

What will happen then? They will work very precarious jobs, they will do under the table works, they will work for less then minimum wages, they will involve with illegal activities such as drugs and arms trade, they will not be able to rent houses, they will be homeless  and will be desperate for survive.

Canadian society will face more discrimination and will not be able to maintain its equal rights for all. It will lost it’s universal benefits for all. Canadian Federal government should take this very seriously and make a plan how to adopt this influx with Canadian society and give them a better life. Federal government should feds and shelter it’s own citizens basic needs before adding new burden.

Nasar Ahamed is a registered Social Worker and community activist.