Indian students’ protest in Canada: Cops identify 12 individuals who have no legal status and could be deported

Protests against Portage College in Canada go on while 12 protesters have been found to be illegal.

As thousands of international students, mostly Indians, have been protesting against the denial of their work permits in Canada, the Calgary Police Service last week called the Canada Border Services Agency to check if the protesters are in the country legally. A police spokesperson told the CBC News that the protest that began on July 24 was going on peacefully but then they started receiving complaints about excessive noise, obstructing businesses, disturbances and public intoxication.Last week, they received complaints that some protesters were blocking parts of a sidewalk and stopping pedestrians. “During that interaction, officers requested identification from individuals who had set up tents or other structures without a permit on city property,” said a CPS spokesperson. “As a result of concerns related to the identification provided, officers contacted the Canada Border Services Agency for verification.”

12 protesters found to be illegal

CBSA confirmed that they verified the status of 20 people, and 12 were found to be possibly inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. The CBSA did not disclose what the immigration status of these 12 protesters was. But they will get access to due process before the law before they are removed from Canada.Indian students are protesting at several other places but these 12 took part in the protest in northeast Calgary. Similar protests are happening in Edmonton.

Portage College row: Alberta Premier says students have to go home

The protest started after thousands of students were denied work permits. They were under the belief that they would be allowed to work in Canada after they completed their post graduation from Portage College. But Canadian immigration made their course ineligible for a work permit and the college said it had nothing to do with it.Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has made it clear that she won’t make space for these international students, as she said that there isn’t always a pathway to become a permanent resident of Canada. The key is to find a good-paying job wherever it might be. “Sometimes the education is to improve skills so that the person can go home and be able to get a good job in their country,” she said advising the protesters to pack their bags and go home.Immigration lawyer says he advised his clients not to attend protestsJatin Shory, a Calgary immigration lawyer with Shory Law, who is representing roughly a dozen students challenging their work permit denials in federal court, said he advised them not to attend any public protests. “This situation is unique in the immigration context because it is a large group of now officially undocumented individuals effectively advertising that they’re undocumented,” Shory said to CBC. “It’s like sheep waiting for the fox to come into the den.”