Refugee advocacy groups are raising concerns about what they describe as a surge in deportations in Quebec that is separating families, including those with young children.
At a news conference Monday, a coalition of advocates, lawyers and politicians said they are aware of at least eight cases in the past month in which families in Quebec were targeted by Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers, often resulting in one parent being removed.
They allege the practice is disproportionately affecting Quebec compared with other provinces and are calling on the federal government to intervene.
Advocates described the deportations as unnecessarily harsh, accusing border officials of acting quickly and without regard for the impact on children.
In one case cited, a breastfeeding mother from Guinea was separated from her five-month-old baby with little explanation.
“The person will not be with their daughter when they learn how to walk, when they learn how to eat, when they have their first friends, when they lose their first tooth,” said Anne Cécile Khouri-Raphael, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.
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“The impact (on children) is long lasting — it’s medical, it’s psychological,” she said.
Advocates say more than half of all deportations carried out in Canada last year took place in Quebec, though they say federal officials have not explained why.
Maryse Poisson of the Welcome Collective said her group sent a letter last week to Ottawa requesting an urgent review of CBSA practices in the province.
“This is completely insane. Those families have to go and spend $3,000 to go to Federal Court. This should not happen,” she said.
The groups also point to a shortage of legal support, estimating there are only about 300 refugee and immigration lawyers in Quebec to handle a growing number of cases.
Poisson said separating children from their parents should never be an option. “It has a horrific impact on children who will grow up without their parents,” she said.
The CBSA did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.
Advocates say they are urging the federal government to halt such deportations before more families are torn apart.