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Sep 22, 2007, 4:29 PM
Windsor asks for help as Mexican refugees pour in
Dave Battagello
CanWest News Service
Saturday, September 22, 2007
WINDSOR, Ont. - Illegal immigrants from the Sunshine State claiming refugee status keep pouring over the Windsor border while federal immigration authorities were in Naples, Fla., attempting to stop the flow.
Another 20 Mexican claimants have been counted bringing the official number Friday to 220, although several more - including Haitians - were still continuing to arrive throughout the day, said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis.
"It¹s an issue where we are trying to do the best we can. We just don¹t have the capacity to deal with it," said Francis.
After firing off a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday pleading for help, the mayor finally received a response from the chief of staff for Immigration Minister Diane Finley.
Francis made three requests - expedited hearings on the refugee claims to be staged immediately in Windsor, financial assistance to help with skyrocketing lodging costs and a search of other Ontario cities for available capacity to relocate many of the incoming refugees.
The normal refugee claimant hearing process can take up to a year to complete.
In Naples, Canadian and U.S. immigration officials met on Friday with leaders of the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center - the organization which first fueled refugee claimants with the notion Canada would grant them asylum, said a spokesman for Finley.
"Efforts are being made to indicate in the U.S. that there is no special program for Haitians, Mexicans and persons of any other nationality to immigrate to Canada," said Mike Fraser. "Nobody is automatically accepted for refugee status."
A notice on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website echoed Fraser's sentiments. "People should be wary of all organizations or individuals who make such claims," the release said. A Spanish translation was posted as well.
He would not commit on Francis's request for expedited hearings or added federal financial assistance for the city.
"The province is responsible for social assistance," Fraser said. "An increase of the number of people, including refugee claimants, are factored into social transfers from federal government to provinces." Down south, Rev. Louis Telcy described how the last few weeks have been "sad and frustrating" as he has watched his Haitian parishioners and long-time Mexican friends fleeing in panic or being nabbed and sent home "in chains" by U.S. Immigration officials who have launched a crackdown to remove illegal aliens from southwest Florida.
With the Sunshine State's housing construction in a full swoon, Mexican and Haitian immigrants from Florida showing up on Windsor's doorstep may simply be connected to jobs, suggested a vice-president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
"We are undergoing a significant economic downturn," said Steve Hart.
"Residential construction has slowed significantly and a lot of people are suffering. A lot of people are finding it very difficult going these days in Florida."
Windsor Star
© CanWest News Service 2007
Dave Battagello
CanWest News Service
Saturday, September 22, 2007
WINDSOR, Ont. - Illegal immigrants from the Sunshine State claiming refugee status keep pouring over the Windsor border while federal immigration authorities were in Naples, Fla., attempting to stop the flow.
Another 20 Mexican claimants have been counted bringing the official number Friday to 220, although several more - including Haitians - were still continuing to arrive throughout the day, said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis.
"It¹s an issue where we are trying to do the best we can. We just don¹t have the capacity to deal with it," said Francis.
After firing off a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Wednesday pleading for help, the mayor finally received a response from the chief of staff for Immigration Minister Diane Finley.
Francis made three requests - expedited hearings on the refugee claims to be staged immediately in Windsor, financial assistance to help with skyrocketing lodging costs and a search of other Ontario cities for available capacity to relocate many of the incoming refugees.
The normal refugee claimant hearing process can take up to a year to complete.
In Naples, Canadian and U.S. immigration officials met on Friday with leaders of the Jerusalem Haitian Community Center - the organization which first fueled refugee claimants with the notion Canada would grant them asylum, said a spokesman for Finley.
"Efforts are being made to indicate in the U.S. that there is no special program for Haitians, Mexicans and persons of any other nationality to immigrate to Canada," said Mike Fraser. "Nobody is automatically accepted for refugee status."
A notice on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website echoed Fraser's sentiments. "People should be wary of all organizations or individuals who make such claims," the release said. A Spanish translation was posted as well.
He would not commit on Francis's request for expedited hearings or added federal financial assistance for the city.
"The province is responsible for social assistance," Fraser said. "An increase of the number of people, including refugee claimants, are factored into social transfers from federal government to provinces." Down south, Rev. Louis Telcy described how the last few weeks have been "sad and frustrating" as he has watched his Haitian parishioners and long-time Mexican friends fleeing in panic or being nabbed and sent home "in chains" by U.S. Immigration officials who have launched a crackdown to remove illegal aliens from southwest Florida.
With the Sunshine State's housing construction in a full swoon, Mexican and Haitian immigrants from Florida showing up on Windsor's doorstep may simply be connected to jobs, suggested a vice-president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.
"We are undergoing a significant economic downturn," said Steve Hart.
"Residential construction has slowed significantly and a lot of people are suffering. A lot of people are finding it very difficult going these days in Florida."
Windsor Star
© CanWest News Service 2007
