W.A

W.A worked with Human Rights Watch supporting their  #WelcomeToCanada campaign, which calls on Canadian authorities to stop incarcerating immigration detainees in provincial jails – a practice that is a violation of Canada’s international human rights obligations.  

Community Engagement Initiative

“Crossing Borders Bridging Lives” was co-created by W.A and Esther Kim. Through the exchange of 12 letters handwritten letters, they connected individuals from around the world to share their stories of migration. Some participants were voluntary migrants while others were forced migrants but each letter and encompassing reflection centers a key point: people have the right to move and people’s stories connect us.

Report

Considering Alternatives to Immigration Detention: Implementing Community-Based Case Management Through Newcomer Support Services and Organizations in Ontario

In Canada, Immigration detention has been identified as one of the fastest growing forms of incarceration in the country. Although immigration detention is a common practice used for attempting to address and deter illegal migration, there is no empirical evidence to suggest that this practice is effective at deterrence. The Immigration detention process is harmful and in violation of international human rights laws as it socially isolates individuals and detains some of the most vulnerable groups of migrants and asylum seekers. The current alternatives to detention outlined by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are not effective programs as they are based on a criminal justice model which continue to isolate and criminalize migrants and asylum seekers. Considering alternatives to detention that are humane, compassionate and tailored such as community-based case management programs are what the researcher believes should be used as a replacement for these current alternative programs. These alternative programs do not have to be created from scratch but can rather originate from pre-existing newcomer support services for migrants such those found throughout the province of Ontario.

Read W.A.’s blog: It’s Time We Address Canada’s Double Sided Refugee Policies  

Bio

W.A (she/her) is passionate about human rights and refugee policy. She is interested in finding more ways to include newcomers in all aspects of social discourse. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto. 

Keywords

Immigration Detention, Canada, Alternatives, Case-management, Community, Asylum Seeker, Human Rights, Ontario