Stop the Raids

December 5th 2012 - Earlier today, in an obvious PR stunt intended to rile further anti-immigrant fear, Immigration Minister Kenney and Public Safety Minister Toews announced that they are going to jail 85 Roma immigrants, 35 of them children as "irregular arrivals" under Canada's newest anti-refugee law, Bill C-31. In the days and weeks ahead, we will likely see many more immigrants swiftly and indefinitely locked up in Canadian prisons.

Days of Action are being organized in 8 cities across the country on December 9th and 10th to demand freedom for security certificate detainees and an end to detentions. Join an action near you and let's educate ourselves of the facts and share them widely. Its time to strengthen the anti-detention movement in this country.

Please download the flyer attached below and distribute it widely.

** Total persons detained since Harper came to power: Over 72,000
** Total persons detained (2010-2011): 8,838
** Percentage of persons detained in prisons: 35 percent (FY 2010-2011)
** Max. length of detention: Unlimited
** Average length of detention: 25 days (FY 2010-2011)
(Global Detention Project)

No One Is Illegal (NOII) Toronto has a long history of organizing against immigrant detentions, and in the course of this work supporting struggles for prisoner rights and for prison abolition. Today, on the one year anniversary of the 'G20 Main Conspiracy Group' plea deal that saw six of our comrades locked up while 11 were let go, we are joining with DAMN 2025 to speak out in support of our ally and friend Mandy Hiscocks’s application at the human rights tribunal in Ontario.

La versión en castellano sigue / A versão em português segue

On May 7th, 2010 immigration enforcement raided Dufferin Grove Mall in Toronto’s west end in a first in a series of attacks. No One Is Illegal - Toronto has reasons to believe that these raids will continue and extend in to the St. Clair Area.

Over two dozen persons found to be without “adequate documentation” have been arrested. Currently, these people are being detained at the immigration detention holding centre without access to full legal support.

Immigration Enforcement is stopping people on the streets, at work, and while shopping based on their skin color and accent. This is systematic racial profiling that creates fear in our communities. It is part of the social-cleansing of Toronto in the lead up to the G20 Summits. It is the same racist policy that is being opposed vehemently in Arizona in the United States.

No One Is Illegal-Toronto has received confirmed reports that further raids are being planned specifically in the St. Clair Area THIS WEEK. Latin@ restaurants will be targeted, and ID checks based on racial profiling may take place. We believe that raids on Bloor West will also continue.

This fundamentally unjust harassment must be opposed.

Pledge to end racist scapegoating of migrant workers during economic recession

On Saturday June 6, 2009, nearly a hundred people assembled to hear from people directly affected by the recent Immigration raids that have terrorized migrant communities.

Immigration raids conducted in April saw over 100 migrant workers arrested and were followed by another raid in May where nearly 2 dozen workers were arrested.

"We are not illegal" related Flor, a migrant farm worker who witnessed the raids this May. "All we ask for is to make a living".

Another migrant worker who was arrested in the April raids explained her situation: She was forced to quit the job she had a work permit for because of horrendous conditions involving a criminal investigation against her employer. She was arrested in an Immigration raids while working and was jailed for a month.

No One Is Illegal-Toronto sends greetings of solidarity to delegates at the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) 2009 convention, 23-25 April 2009.

At the convention, OPSEU passed a historic resolution to join community groups in condemning immigration raids, demanding a full and inclusive regularization program (and lobbying NUPGE to take a similar stance), committing to lobbying the province to provide services to undocumented people, demanding that the government enact legislation that regulates recruitment agencies, work with community groups to develop educational materials, workshops and presentations for OPSEU membership and others, and make a financial contribution to No One Is Illegal-Toronto, Migrante Ontario and Justicia for Migrant Workers.

ACT! CALL! WRITE!

This Sunday, 41 workers will be handcuffed, dragged to an airport and placed on a plane to Thailand. Many of them will never have the chance to return to Canada. They were arrested with dozens of others on their way to work or while packing food at Cericola Farms, in southwestern Ontario last week. CBSA then lied to them and tricked them into waiving their legal rights. This is a targeted attack by the Tory government against migrants. Minister Van Loan can stop these deportations; Minister Kenney can grant them status.

YOU can insist that they do so.

1. Take public action against your MP, Immigration or Enforcement Office. (See list of cities below)