Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has lost track of over 28,000 foreign fugitives who have active deportation orders, according to newly released documents, with hundreds having prior criminal convictions in Canada or abroad.
The Inquiry document said that there are 28,145 active warrants for “failed refugee claimants” in Canada, down slightly from the 29,248 reported last October, which was first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter.
Among those with outstanding deportation orders are 410 individuals said to have been convicted of crimes in Canada and another 236 people who have been convicted of crimes in their country of origin.
Of those 646 with criminal convictions, just 13 are currently in custody. The CBSA said that while they all have criminal convictions, they may not all pose a danger to public safety.
“Individuals are detained if they are identified as current public safety risks and subject to an immigration process such as removal, regardless of the grounds for inadmissibility,” the agency wrote. According to the CBSA, 253 of the 646 are wanted for arrest.
Jonathan Moor, vice-president of the CBSA, told Senate committee in October 2023 that the agency was unable to pursue “100 percent” of those with outstanding deportation orders but said the agency has tried to increase its targets each year.
Mr. Moor added that the CBSA has set a target to deport 80 percent of foreign fugitives. When questioned by Quebec Senator Tony Loffreda as to why the target was not 100 percent, Mr. Moor said that target would be too difficult to achieve.
Mr. Miller said the government would be looking into a program involving the construction sector that could allow illegal immigrant construction workers to obtain permanent residency and that the program could be expanded later.
