Illegal chinese
migrants could be freed soon WebPosted Jul 30 1999 1:53 PM PDT
VANCOUVER - Some of the illegal Chinese
migrants being held by Canadian immigration could be released
within a few days.
19 migrants are appearing at detention hearings in
Vancouver this morning.
As soon as they are able to prove their identity and it's
found they have no criminal record, they will be freed.
The first 6 migrants have already appeared at the hearing.
The adjudicators have ruled they should be detained for
another 7 days.
Lawyer Chris Elgin represented the first group this
morning. He says the migrants are co-operating and have
provided names and contacts back in China. They will be
allowed to call families in China later today. Elgin thinks
they will be released very quickly because they are
co-operating and they are going to obtain identification.
"That information is to be sent to the Canadian embassy in
Bejing which will be forwarded to Canada to prove their
identity."
Elgin says the migrants haven't been given an opportunity
to establish their Identities because there were no phone
facilities for them at CFB Esquimalt.
The 19 detainees were transferred from Victoria yesterday.
Earlier reports had indicated these 19 were the ringleaders in
the smuggling operating. But Elgin says immigration officials
have provided little information about his clients.
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