Canada's plan to deport those behind British Columbia's extortion epidemic has stalled after every suspect sent to a deportation hearing claimed refugee status.
The foreign nationals were identified by the British Columbia Extortion Task Force, but one day Canada Border Services Agency began investigating them, everyone claimed that they were refugees.
As a result, the deportation of 14 suspects has been suspended until the Immigration and Refugee Board decides whether they have a legal claim to asylum.
“14 individuals applied for refugee status after the CBSA initiated an immigration investigation against them for alleged inadmissibility,” the border agency told Global News.
“The CBSA must now wait for the Refugee Protection Division to respond. [of the IRB] decide on the merits of their claims before taking further action,” the spokesperson said.
An immigration agency spokesman said he would not comment further on the matter and did not answer questions about whether all of them were U.S. citizens. India.
The vice-chair of the British Columbia branch of the Canadian Bar Association's Immigration Service said the suspects' alleged involvement in the crime could still be discussed during refugee hearings.
The Refugee Board could reject their asylum requests on the grounds that they are inadmissible to Canada because of criminal activity, Amandeep Heyer said.
But by filing refugee claims, suspects could delay deportation for years, said Vancouver immigration lawyer Richard Kurland.
“They just bought four years of education in Canada with subsidized health care. If they want to go to school, it's subsidized, and if they want government assistance, it's subsidized by taxpayers,” he said.
Courland blamed this on a large number of refugee-related cases. “And that's because Ottawa refuses to provide the IRB with the resources to conduct expeditious hearings to avoid a four-year wait,” he said.
Deportations play a key role in Canada's efforts to address the problem. extortion which targeted members of the South Asian community, particularly in British Columbia's Lower Mainland and Brampton, Ontario.
Indian criminal gangs such as Lawrence Bishnoi GangThe group, which Canada designated as a terrorist group on Sept. 29, is demanding exorbitant payments from business owners and others.
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After threatening victims over phone, gang leaders in India will send local foot soldiers to carry out raids. arson and shootings to make them pay.
Because the Indian government allegedly used Bishnoi's gang to attack one's political opponents in Canada the problem is intertwined with foreign interference and repression.
In September, the British Columbia government formed extortion task force to combat “organized crime activity associated with extortion-related threats.” It is led by the RCMP and consists of police and immigration officers.
The CBSA is an “integral part” of the task force, according to the RCMP, which says immigration officers help execute search warrants, conduct investigations and share information with police.
As of December 4, the CBSA has opened 96 investigations on foreign citizens identified by the anti-extortion task force. Eleven of them have been issued deportation orders, and five have already been deported.
All 11 people were found to be in a state of “non-compliance,” a term that generally means their study or work permits had expired or were not attending schools or working in jobs covered by their visas.
“In addition, 14 individuals brought to the attention of the CBSA Pacific Region from the BC Extortion Task Force have been referred to the IRB's Refugee Protection Branch,” the CBSA said.
“These cases are currently under review by the IRB.”
But the CBSA later acknowledged to Global News that all 14 people said they were refugees, and so their cases were sent to the IRB's Refugee Protection Division, halting deportation efforts.
The IRB did not respond to questions about these cases.
On Sunday, three Canadian Sikh organizations will meet at City Hall in Surrey, British Columbia, to discuss Indian transnational repression and extortion, which they say has reached “crisis levels.”
“Families, businesses and community members are facing intimidation, threats and violence that no Canadian should ever have to face,” the Sikh Federation, BC Gurdwara Council and World Sikh Organization of Canada said in a poster promoting the event.
RCMP warned in October 2024, Indian government agents were involved in “serious criminal activity in Canada”, including extortion. Indian diplomatic and consular officials were allegedly involved.
India has yet to acknowledge its alleged role in violent crime in Canada or publicly promise to stop it.
But after taking office, Prime Minister Mark Carney moved quickly to restore ties with India in hopes of securing a trade deal.
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