cbc news
news
indepth
interactive
live
businesss
programs
sports
weather
viewpoint
newsworld
online
Andrew Glass reports for CBC Radio.


Dept. seeks more teeth to detain migrants
WebPosted Thu Sep 23 07:43:19 1999

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. - Immigration Canada has issued more arrest warrants for Chinese migrants who've skipped out on their refugee claims, and the department is seeking a change in law to allow it to more easily detain foreigners trying to enter the country illegally.

Here are the figures on the four migrant ships known to have arrived off the B.C. coast this summer:
  • Ship 1: Arrived July 20 off Nootka Sound; 123 aboard, including 19 suspected smugglers; all seeking refugee status; 76 released; 37 still detained; 10 juveniles in care of B.C. Children's Ministry; Canada-wide arrest warrants issued for 37 who disappeared after release.
  • Ship 2: Arrived Aug. 11 off Kunghit Island near Queen Charlottes; 131 on board, including 44 unaccompanied juveniles, five accompanied juveniles; five juveniles among suspected organizers; 44 children in provincial care; all others detained; exclusion orders (first step to deportation) issued for 57; 74 refugee claims.
  • Ship 3: Spotted Aug. 31 off northwest coast of Vancouver island; 190 on board, including 26 women, 29 teens; 129 refugee claims; 34 exclusion orders; all detained except 26 in provincial care.
  • Ship 4: Spotted Sept. 8 off coast; 146 on board, including 14 juveniles; 125 refugee claims; seven exclusion orders; up to 30 suspected crew members; all detained but children expected to be transferred to provincial care. In addition to the four known ships, two sunken vessels suspected to have brought migrants have also been discovered.
  • Since July, four decrepit ships carrying a total of 599 men, women and children from Fujian province in China have arrived off British Columbia's coast.

    The department has detained adults since the first arrival because 38 of the 76 migrants from the first boat have disappeared since being released on a promise to appear for their refugee hearings.

    Warrants have been issued.

    "We have released no adults from boats two, three and four," said Immigration spokesman George Varnai.

    Varnai said the department has been considering for some time recommending changes to immigration legislation to enact a more aggressive detention policy.

    The most up-to-date figures show 429 people in detention at Esquimalt and six other provincial corrections facilities in the Greater Vancouver area. Another 80 children and juveniles are in the care of the B.C. Children's Ministry, while 98 deportation orders have been issued, but most are under appeal.

    Only one person from the 599 has so far reached the Immigration and Refugee Board stage, which resulted in a rejection.

    Some of the migrants currently housed at CFB Esquimalt and other facilities are expected to be transferred to a mothballed jail in Prince George.

    Corrections official Bob Riches said staff are trying to spruce up the facilities, being "mindful of the fact that they're not accused of any crime."

    "They're here on an immigration hold," Riches told CBC News.


    emailstory printstory
    NEWS SEARCH:
    FROM:
    TO:
    A U D I O:
    M O R E : C A N A D A

    News | Indepth | Live | Business | Programs | Weather | Viewpoint | CBC.ca
    FEEDBACK | SEARCH | ABOUT NEWSWORLD | GUIDE

    Copyright © 1999 CBC All Rights Reserved