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Kids in border scheme
Hundreds of unaccompanied child refugees could be used by parents, consultants
By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 17th August 2009, 3:39am
As many as four children a week are showing up without parents or loved ones at Niagara Falls border crossings to file refugee claims to stay in Canada, U.S. immigration workers say.
And some suspect unscrupulous consultants could be behind the scheme to send child refugees here for a hefty fee so that one day they can sponsor their parents.
The children are in the U.S. illegally or arrive there from other countries and head to the border, said Brian Brown-Cashdollar, executive director of Vive Inc., a Buffalo shelter that helped resettle almost 4,000 refugees in Canada last year.
There has been an increase in the number of minors showing up at his hostel, he said.
Some of that increase stems from tougher measures taken last month by Ottawa to ban nationals from Afghanistan, Congo, Haiti, Iraq and Zimbabwe from making claims at the border.
About 200 children are expected to seek asylum this year at Niagara crossings, officials said.
Child refugees, who are called "unaccompanied minors," are dealt with quickly by a team of immigration officers in Fort Erie, he said.
"A lot of these people (children) have been through hell," Brown-Cashdollar said. "Most of them are easily accepted in Canada."
Some of the children have lost parents in wars or other violence and arrive at the border traumatized, workers said. A number of them are visa students from Afghanistan who were refused status in the U.S. and can't return home due to the fighting, Brown-Cashdollar said.
NEED OF PROTECTION
Under Canadian law, children who show up at the border have to be accepted since they're considered in need of protection.
The youngsters are looked after by CAS until they're 16, when they're eligible for housing and other benefits, including health care coverage.
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow said people will do anything to get to Canada.
"This is sad because these children must be desperate to leave their families behind," Chow said yesterday. "I can't imagine how desperate their parents must be."
She said the claimants have to appear before the Immigration and Refugee Board, which decides if they can stay. They can sponsor their parents if they're over 18 and have become landed immigrants.
Chow wondered if unscrupulous agents were coaching the children to file claims.
Prominent Toronto immigration lawyer Mendel Green also suspects the children are being coached by consultants. "This is really tragic situation," he said. "One good thing is that the children will receive proper hearings."
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland said four kids a week showing up at a high-volume port-of-entry is not a lot.
"If we are spending billions of dollars to fight the Taliban, we can open our doors to a few kids seeking sanctuary in Canada," Kurland said.
More than 1,000 children filed claims at Canadian borders from 2000 to 2004, according to a 2007 study.
TOM.GODFREY@SUNMEDIA.CA
Hundreds of unaccompanied child refugees could be used by parents, consultants
By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 17th August 2009, 3:39am
As many as four children a week are showing up without parents or loved ones at Niagara Falls border crossings to file refugee claims to stay in Canada, U.S. immigration workers say.
And some suspect unscrupulous consultants could be behind the scheme to send child refugees here for a hefty fee so that one day they can sponsor their parents.
The children are in the U.S. illegally or arrive there from other countries and head to the border, said Brian Brown-Cashdollar, executive director of Vive Inc., a Buffalo shelter that helped resettle almost 4,000 refugees in Canada last year.
There has been an increase in the number of minors showing up at his hostel, he said.
Some of that increase stems from tougher measures taken last month by Ottawa to ban nationals from Afghanistan, Congo, Haiti, Iraq and Zimbabwe from making claims at the border.
About 200 children are expected to seek asylum this year at Niagara crossings, officials said.
Child refugees, who are called "unaccompanied minors," are dealt with quickly by a team of immigration officers in Fort Erie, he said.
"A lot of these people (children) have been through hell," Brown-Cashdollar said. "Most of them are easily accepted in Canada."
Some of the children have lost parents in wars or other violence and arrive at the border traumatized, workers said. A number of them are visa students from Afghanistan who were refused status in the U.S. and can't return home due to the fighting, Brown-Cashdollar said.
NEED OF PROTECTION
Under Canadian law, children who show up at the border have to be accepted since they're considered in need of protection.
The youngsters are looked after by CAS until they're 16, when they're eligible for housing and other benefits, including health care coverage.
NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow said people will do anything to get to Canada.
"This is sad because these children must be desperate to leave their families behind," Chow said yesterday. "I can't imagine how desperate their parents must be."
She said the claimants have to appear before the Immigration and Refugee Board, which decides if they can stay. They can sponsor their parents if they're over 18 and have become landed immigrants.
Chow wondered if unscrupulous agents were coaching the children to file claims.
Prominent Toronto immigration lawyer Mendel Green also suspects the children are being coached by consultants. "This is really tragic situation," he said. "One good thing is that the children will receive proper hearings."
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland said four kids a week showing up at a high-volume port-of-entry is not a lot.
"If we are spending billions of dollars to fight the Taliban, we can open our doors to a few kids seeking sanctuary in Canada," Kurland said.
More than 1,000 children filed claims at Canadian borders from 2000 to 2004, according to a 2007 study.
TOM.GODFREY@SUNMEDIA.CA
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