Miguel, a 22-year-old apprentice carpenter in Montreal and the primary provider for his young family, is confronting the looming prospect of deportation. This scenario, according to legal professionals and advocates, is becoming more prevalent as Canada intensifies its efforts to expel a greater number of individuals seeking asylum, resulting in the potential separation of families.
His partner, Andrea, aged 23, escaped an abusive relationship in Mexico only to encounter domestic violence once again in Canada, leading to her hospitalization two years ago. While cradling their seven-month-old baby boy, Andrea emphasized Miguel’s pivotal role in their lives as the family’s main financial supporter and a constant pillar of support at home.
Expressing her concerns, Andrea disclosed to CBC at the Montreal Welcome Collective, an organization aiding refugees and asylum seekers, “I live with a lot of anxiety; I developed paranoia.” She devotes her time to caring for their infant son, who undergoes frequent medical assessments for heart issues.
Due to threats faced by Miguel from cartel members in Mexico and Andrea’s fear of being tracked by her past abusers, their full names have been withheld by CBC. The family is urgently seeking an extension from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to appeal through a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) process, a final attempt to demonstrate to immigration authorities the peril Miguel would face if returned to Mexico. However, his deportation is scheduled for May 5, which is ten days before he becomes eligible for this assessment.
Maryse Poisson from the Welcome Collective noted, “What we’re seeing is that the [CBSA] often does everything to deport a person a few days, sometimes a few weeks, before they are entitled to a process” for obtaining legal status.
The surge in deportations aligns with Canada’s recent measures to tighten immigration policies, including setting a deportation target of 20,000 individuals annually between 2025 and 2027. The CBSA’s removal figures escalated from 7,500-17,000 individuals between 2020 and 2024 to over 23,000 in 2025. The introduction of the Strong Borders Act and Bill C-12, aimed at enhancing border surveillance and nullifying 30,000 asylum claims, respectively, has stirred controversy.
The combination of increased deportations and the enactment of Bill C-12 has prompted legal practitioners and advocates to rally against the separation of families. Concerns have been raised that CBSA agents in Quebec are neglecting factors such as child welfare and family unity when executing removal orders.
The Welcome Collective has assisted in nearly a dozen cases involving family separations over the past year, with successful refugee claims in several instances. Andrea awaits a decision on her PRRA application, safeguarding her from deportation for now. Advocates are hopeful that Miguel will also receive a reprieve.
Anne-Cécile Khouri Raphaël, an immigration lawyer and vice-president of the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers, highlighted the challenges families face due to the shortage of immigration lawyers in Quebec, hindering their ability to appeal deportation orders or represent them effectively in asylum proceedings.
The story of an Indian father, the sole provider for his family, facing deportation despite waiting for his permanent residency application linked to his wife’s protected status, underscores the broader concerns raised by the Canadian Council for Refugees in an open letter to federal ministers.
While the CBSA has the legal authority to deport individuals lacking status like Miguel, immigration experts caution that the agency in Quebec appears to be expediting removals without duly considering discretionary powers to prioritize family unity and child welfare as outlined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
Deportations in Quebec significantly exceeded those in other provinces in 2025, with over 10,000 removals, nearly half of Canada’s total that year. In response to inquiries, a CBSA spokesperson emphasized the agency’s obligation to remove inadmissible foreign nationals only after exhausting all legal avenues to pause or halt deportation.
Despite Miguel’s efforts to establish a stable life in Canada over the past three years, including working, learning English, paying taxes, and securing employment in construction, he now faces the prospect of self-funded deportation or accumulating a significant debt to the Canadian government.
Immigration lawyer Juliette Jan, who took on Miguel’s case, expressed the emotional toll of the situation, particularly considering the involvement of a newborn in the family. She highlighted the urgency and human impact of addressing such deportation scenarios promptly to prevent further distress and hardship.