The following is from MigrantRights.ca:

The Toronto Star recently reported that Canada is deporting over 44 people every day, spending over $62 million a year [1].

Mary Gellatly, explained in the Star, that the goal of deportation is to create fear and prevent migrants from asserting their rights. “The cycle of deporting or pushing out workers while bringing in more workers keeps workers disciplined not to speak out about incredible exploitation.”

Migrants are paid some of the lowest wages, exploited by landlords, and excluded from services because they don’t have permanent resident status. Those on temporary permits fear speaking up because it might result in becoming undocumented. Undocumented people are pushed further into the margins, living in daily fear of being targeted, imprisoned, and deported.

Deporting queer people to dangerous situations is homophobic. Deporting women to abusive environments is sexist. Deporting racialized people away from their communities is racist. Prime Minister Trudeau doing all this after he promised to regularize undocumented workers in December 2021 is hypocritical and a betrayal.

We must take action.

Increasing deportation is part of a global strategy. This week in the United States, thousands of people held up signs and chanted “Mass Deportations Now!” at Trump’s Republican National Convention.

Politicians are blaming immigrants for the housing and affordability crisis to divert attention from corporate greed and government policy failures.

There were 137,947 refugee claims made in Canada in 2023, which is less than 0.3% of the total population. But this week’s provincial Premier meeting unanimously blamed refugees for the crisis in healthcare, housing, education, and social services rather than their own lack of investments [2].

All workers, including migrants and immigrants, are suffering from decades of cuts, mismanagement, and corruption. It’s not an issue of too many people—it’s an issue of not enough investment in services. The elite want us divided—citizen against newcomer—so we don’t unite against billionaires, landlords, climate criminals, and politicians profiting from our crisis.

Instead of opposing immigrant blaming, the federal Liberals are mirroring Conservative tactics, focusing on the number of migrants instead of the rights that migrants are excluded from.

We must act now to stop the spread of xenophobia before it becomes more entrenched, as it has in the United States and Europe. Those of us who believe in fairness and justice must flood the streets by the thousands, rejecting immigrant scapegoating and distraction.

Mark your calendars. Endorse the days of action. Organize events in your community. RSVP now. 

ALL OUT ON SEPTEMBER 14 & 15, 2024: MigrantRights.ca/sept/