More Americans Seek Refuge here.

Ted · Post by **Ted** » 2002-12-30 01:25pm

Really long link to article

More Americans seek refuge here
Canada monitors sharp increase New U.S. laws on security cited

DENE MOORE
CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER—The number of Americans making refugee claims in Canada has skyrocketed since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to statistics from the Immigration and Refugee Board.

The number of Americans seeking refuge in Canada increased by 135 per cent before the end of October over the entire previous year.

From January to the end of October this year, 191 filed refugee claims citing persecution in the U.S., compared with 81 in 2001.

In 2000, 85 had sought refugee status, already a huge jump from the 40 that sought refuge in 1999.

The increase comes as no surprise to immigration lawyer David Matas.

"I expect that what we're seeing is a reflection of the change in due process in the U.S. as a result of Sept. 11," Matas said from Winnipeg.

Residents of the United States are subject to more arbitrary policing than they were before the terrorist attacks in September, 2001, Matas said.

Rights have eroded more in the U.S. than they have here, he said.

Officials at Citizenship and Immigration Canada are aware of the increase, said spokesperson Nancy Duarte.

"They're aware and they're monitoring," she said.

The department has not had time to evaluate the increase, but believes some of it could be attributed to a number of American-born children of migrants in that country illegally who then come to Canada to claim refugee status, she said.

According to the group Human Rights Watch, more than 1,100 people, mostly Arab or Muslim men, had been detained in the United States within a couple of months of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Neither their names, their locations nor the charges against them were made public.

There were reports that lawyers were prevented from meeting with clients and some hearings were held in secret.

The U.S. Patriot Act of 2001 gave the country's attorney-general sweeping powers to detain non-citizens on national security grounds and hold them in custody indefinitely.

There's been an increase in refugee claims across the board, said Janet Dench, executive director of the Montreal-based Canadian Council for Refugees.

The council doesn't know why the number of claims against the U.S. has increased, she said. But it has heard from claimants who had been living in the U.S. who say they no longer felt safe there after Sept. 11, 2001, because of their country of origin.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2002-12-30 01:27pm

Don't worry. As soon as I am in power, Poindexter and Asscroft will be executed for treason and the Patriot Act abolished.

XaLEv · Post by **XaLEv** » 2002-12-30 01:27pm

Dude, police your fucking links.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2002-12-30 02:01pm

They're all your Ted, enjoy them.

Falcon · Post by **Falcon** » 2002-12-30 02:34pm

so basically non citizen (possibly terrorist types) are whining over...what exactly? They don't have Constitutional rights, they arn't citizens...

Patriot Act is unconstitutional though, anything that can effect a citizen's rights is strictly prohibited

40 --> 85
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what a joke, I can't believe the author could even write such a thing in a serious tone

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2002-12-30 02:36pm

I must argee with Falcon. Whoop dee fucking do. What about the other 281 million? Not like 45 people would make a difference too the US.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-30 03:39pm

Wow, nearly 200! That’s a damn lot compared to the several million who immigrated last year. Wait, its not!

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2002-12-30 10:49pm

"The number of Americans fleeing to Rwanda has skyrocketed 20,000%. However, 0 increased by 20,000% is still 0."

Speaking of fleeing to Canada, when will Alec Bladwin be leaving the country?

Raptor 597 · Post by **Raptor 597** » 2002-12-30 10:56pm

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:"The number of Americans fleeing to Rwanda has skyrocketed 20,000%. However, 0 increased by 20,000% is still 0."

Speaking of fleeing to Canada, when will Alec Bladwin be leaving the country?

Hopefully soon so we can have a legtimate reason too Nuke Greater Montana.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2002-12-30 10:57pm

And in 2003 they'll cross back complaining, "Holy shit it's cold there!"

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2002-12-30 11:01pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:And in 2003 they'll cross back complaining, "Holy shit it's cold there!"

Not if they're from Buffalo .

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-12-30 11:09pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:And in 2003 they'll cross back complaining, "Holy shit it's cold there!"

We should pass a new law requiring them to stay on Kiska during winter for six weeks before returning to the lower 48.