The Canada Border Services Agency says one Iranian regime official has been removed from Canada, while the Conservatives have called on the federal government to do more to deport individuals linked to Iran’s regime.
The border agency told The Epoch Times that as of March 5, approximately 17,800 applications had been reviewed for potential inadmissibility under Canada’s Iranian regime designation introduced in 2022, while 239 visas were cancelled by Canada’s immigration department.
The CBSA had opened 174 investigations and concluded 79 investigations after finding the individuals were either not in Canada or were determined not to be senior officials of the Iranian regime, the agency noted. The remaining cases are subject to ongoing investigations or enforcement action.
The agency said it has reported 32 individuals as being inadmissible to Canada “for being a senior official in the Iranian regime,” and of those who have already had hearings, one individual has been deported from Canada, while three others have been issued deportation orders.
Four cases have been withdrawn by the CBSA, which the agency said can happen for several reasons, including the foreign national leaving Canada prior to a scheduled hearing.
“Canada remains gravely concerned by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s actions and condemns their efforts to further destabilize peace and security across the Middle East,” the CBSA told The Epoch Times.
The border agency says that when it becomes aware of cases where a temporary or permanent resident in Canada may be a senior official of the Iranian regime, it completes an investigation and reports the individual to the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB).
If the IRB determines the individual is inadmissible, it will issue the individual a removal order and the CBSA will work to enforce the removal.
The CBSA noted that a number of factors can affect its ability to remove a person from Canada, including subsequent applications individuals can make, such as pre-removal risk assessment applications, and all individuals are “afforded due process against any decision made against them which can include seeking judicial review of those decisions.”
Tories’ Call
The Conservatives said on March 9 that they will table a motion in the House of Commons immigration committee calling on Ottawa to ensure individuals linked to Iran’s regime or IRGC are swiftly removed from the country.“Iranian Canadians are telling us that the presence of IRGC members on Canadian soil is a huge problem for their community,” Paul-Hus said.
Anandasangaree replied that members of the IRGC are “facing consequences,” and noted that a number of members are in the process of being removed. The CBSA is working “expeditiously” to deport members of the IRGC, he said.
The CBSA told The Epoch Times on March 11 that it has not received 700 tips on Iranian regime officials or IRGC agents in Canada. The agency said that since November 2022, it has received approximately 280 tips from a variety of sources including external organizations and members of the public.
“Where CBSA becomes aware of senior officials who may be in Canada, they will be investigated and appropriate enforcement action will follow,” the border agency said.
The Tories’ call comes amid acts of violence on Canadian streets following strikes on Iran by the United States and Israel.
The shooting investigations are ongoing and police have not arrested any suspects.
The CBSA told The Epoch Times that it monitors “all international developments which could give bad actors a greater motive to seek safe haven in Canada, so that we may anticipate and thwart unauthorized travel attempts.”
