On the evening of June 22, 2019, twelve men were arrested in London, Ontario, reportedly after a neighbour called the police because one of the men had jumped over the fence to retrieve their soccer ball. From what we know, the London Police arrived and detained all of them on immigration warrants, not for trespassing into their neighbour's yard. They were all Mexicans and by July 16, 2019, reports on the CBC inform us that four of them were deported almost immediately, while the rest were first jailed in London, then in the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC), and from there to the Toronto Immigration Detention Centre.
In 2018, the City of London declared itself a "free of fear" city, following the model of sanctuary cities in the United States: municipalities in which people can access services without any immigration requirements. It is disconcerting that the London Police acted on immigration warrants and proceeded to arrest twelve residents of the city.
We demand that the City of London and the London Police respond and explain why residents of the city were detained and asked for immigration papers. In Canada, only immigration officers can ask for immigration status. No one else has the authority to detain or even to request immigration status from anyone. The public has the right to know how often London police make calls to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) about immigration status, and to demand an end to this practice.
Moreover, the City and the Police must provide evidence that all of the detainees had access to legal aid and counsel. If this city is truly "free of fear," legal aid is a basic requirement and service when in a situation that puts anyone's life at risk. Moreover, according to the CBC report, these men were not provided interpretation services during their detention here at EMDC or later in Toronto. Their knowledge of English by all accounts was very limited. One of the most fundamental rights of any detained person is to understand why they are being detained and what the charges are, if any. These men were denied their basic rights to have legal representation and to understand what was happening to them. They have now been deported but that should serve to raise the alarm about what can happen to others: to see their lives destroyed in London, and possibly put their lives at risk in their country of origin.
We do not know why the detainees came to London, but the important matter is that no one comes and works precariously for entertainment. They had a reason to be here and the City of London and, especially, the Police must respect and acknowledge their role in maintaining and fostering communities where all residents can work and live without fear.
Marie-France Arismendi, Latin American-Canadian Solidarity Association (LACASA)
Jaime Román Brenes Reyes
Steve D'Arcy
Cassandra Harris, Human Resident of London, Ontario
Bernard Hammond
David Heap
michelle liu
Michael Loebach, Barrister and Solicitor
Chris Ramsaroop
