The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
CBC News – Amid Clashes with Kabul, Pakistan Tells Ottawa it Won’t Deport Canada-Bound Paperless Afghan Migrants
In an apparent reversal from an announcement this fall, Pakistan’s government has told Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada it will not deport paperless Afghan migrants or throw them in jail after the end of this month, but rather impose fines or perhaps a ban on their return to Pakistan. As a country neighbouring Afghanistan, Pakistan has been a go-to destination for Afghan migrants hoping to qualify for Canada’s resettlement program.
Toronto Star – Ottawa Urged to Pressure Pakistan Not to Deport Afghan Refugees in Line for Canada
The federal Liberal government is facing calls to intervene amid reports that Pakistan is preparing to arrest and expel Afghan refugees, many of whom are waiting to escape to Canada. The Liberal government promised in August 2021 to resettle 40,000 Afghans who have fled their country to escape the Taliban. That includes thousands of Afghans with connections to Canada, including former interpreters who served alongside the Canadian Armed Forces.
CBC News – Refugee Group Partners with Ottawa to Bring Hundreds of LGBTQ Afghans to Canada
A leading advocacy organization for LGBTQ refugees is partnering with the federal government to resettle hundreds of Afghan refugees fleeing persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Rainbow Railroad has received nearly 3,800 pleas for help from LGBTQ and intersex Afghans following the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021, but has only been able to facilitate the resettlement of 180 vulnerable people in Canada so far (with another 20 more are expected by the end of the year).
CBC News – Here’s What Happens When Your Immigration Application Is Assigned to Inactive Employees IDs
After CBC News published a story about how Canada’s immigration department assigned tens of thousands of applications to hundreds of inactive employees and placeholder codes, the department explained its processing system and why it does this. IRCC employees are identified via codes, which consist of a mix of letters and numbers (AB12345, for example). “The user code is a unique ID,” explained an IRCC spokesperson about the data back in November. IRCC says its practice of repurposing former employees’ IDs “became common around 2016.”
Global News – Ottawa to Help Resettle 600 LGBTQ Afghans to Canada: Refugee Group
Earlier this week, Toronto-based Rainbow Railroad said it has only been able to resettle four per cent of the nearly 3,800 Afghans who have asked the organization for help coming to Canada since the Taliban took over their country. The organization complained that Ottawa’s resettlement programs don’t account for Afghans who are persecuted on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and who often can’t safely flee to neighbouring countries.
CityNews – ‘My Heart Is Crying’: Afghan Refugees Wait on Family Members to Join Them in Canada
Khalid Khogiani arrived in Canada from Afghanistan through Pakistan more than a year ago and has been waiting for the Canadian government to process the refugee applications for his wife, mother and siblings ever since. The 34-year-old, who worked with the Canadian Armed Forces in Kandahar between 2009 and 2011, said he applied for asylum at Canada’s embassy in Kabul and got his visa before the Taliban seized control of the Afghan capital in August 2021. He arrived in Canada two months after the takeover, but the rest of his family stayed in the family’s house in Afghanistan.
