Pathways to Prosperity: Canada

More than $18.5 million was spent last year by Legal Aid Ontario to help thousands of refugee claimants and immigrants fight their legal battles to stay in Canada, documents show. Critics said the use of taxpayer funds to pay high-priced lawyers to represent newcomers should be slashed because it leaves less funding and services for Ontario citizens.

http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/06/legal-aid-pays-185m-for-immigration-legal-bills

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), today announced improvements to make Canada an even more attractive destination for Latin American travellers. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) is expanding its visa application centre (VAC) network around the world to make the application process more efficient. In August, nine VACs were opened in various countries in Latin America, including one in Santiago, Chile, with eight more set to open in September. With these openings, there will now be VACs in 35 countries.

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/releases/2011/2011-09-03.asp

A judge has ordered that an accused Guatemalan war criminal alleged to have killed villagers with a sledgehammer be extradited to the United States to face immigration charges. Queen’s Bench Justice Neil Wittmann ruled Friday that the burden of proof has been met to approve a request from the U.S. Justice Department to return Jorge Vinicio Orantes Sosa to stand trial. Sosa was arrested earlier this year in Lethbridge, Alta., and is accused of lying to American immigration authorities when he applied for U.S. citizenship about whether he had committed a crime or been a member of a military organization.

http://www.thespec.com/news/world/article/589024–guatemalan-war-criminal-extradited-to-u-s

Walford Uriah Steer — one of the latest fugitives wanted by the Canada Border Services Agency to be rounded up — has been steering his way through the country’s flawed immigration system for more than a decade. The 39-year-old career criminal has been ordered deported twice, re-entered the country illegally and been dubbed a “danger” to society. But the Immigration and Refugee Board still released him out onto the streets for the fourth time in April instead of immediately sending him packing.

http://www.lfpress.com/news/canada/2011/09/02/18632166.html

President Obama expects his uncle’s deportation case to be treated like any other immigration matter, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said yesterday. Carney said the president was unaware of his uncle Onyango Obama’s arrest last week in Framingham until his press secretary told him about it this week. When he was arrested, Framingham police said Obama told them he would like to call the White House to arrange bail. […]He added that the president expected all laws to be enforced in the case. “We expect it to be treated . . . like any other immigration case.’’

This article is no longer available online. Please contact the media source directly for more information. Original Source:  http://articles.boston.com/2011-09-02/news/30106618_1_zeituni-onyango-press-secretary-jay-carney-deportation-case

The struggling immigration detention network – already stricken by rioting and suicides – will come under yet more pressure from an expected surge in boat arrivals following the High Court’s ban on sending asylum seekers to Malaysia. Asylum seekers on Christmas Island say the shortest boat journey from Indonesia can take just two days, and with the High Court placing a question mark over the government’s ability to send any asylum seekers offshore for processing, the lure to make the dangerous voyage to Australia has increased dramatically.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/detention-centres-under-pressure-20110901-1joax.html