PHOTO: The amazing team directly serving people who come through our doors or to the Border!
April 24, 2025 is the day when 530,000 people in the United States became illegal. All it took was a stroke of a pen a month before – the signing of an Executive Order that revoked a commitment to protection that wasn’t supposed to end before 2026.
Many are talking about the economic hit that will come given many of these people established businesses, employed others, or filled a deep void in the labour force and social fabric of communities.
A pragmatic response, perhaps. But, what about the ethical hit? Are these people nothing more than a currency of trade?
If they fail to leave, they will face forced removal, fines, seizure of property and criminal charges. A flood of stories coming out across multiple platforms bravely reports the callous treatment people are suffering as they are detained, including families being torn apart. People are also disappearing into for-profit prisons in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and other places in exchange for money. Is there not something about this that feels just plain wrong?
This is not just deportation but disappearing without due process including lack of access to legal counsel, no right to appeal, and no possibility of returning for a fair hearing.
What can any of us in Canada do? Better, what will we do? You have two opportunities to speak up and call others into a better way!
Many are calling to end the Safe Third Country Agreement (link) citing a long list of evidence that “safe” no longer defines our southern neighbour. There are too many instances of people being mistreated. Too many are wrongly turned back at the Canadian border, to be automatically detained and prepared for expedited removal without the rule of law and due process to protect them.
There is also a growing “The Canada We Believe In” (link) movement. We want change, for sure, but do we want it at the expense of what is right, ethical, and humane? Join COMPASS and so many others who are declaring that “a new and cohesive vision is needed for Canada to continue fulfilling its promise as a welcoming, prosperous and independent nation.”
There is one more thing you can do: please consider a DONATION TO COMPASS (link). Your generosity gives people access to due process and opportunity for justice!
