Arminda Casanova mentioned her son by no means discovered to jot down in his mom tongue of Spanish after attending a number of years of faculty in French in Montreal.
The mom and her son got here to Canada from Mexico as asylum seekers in 2022 to reunite together with her husband who had filed his personal declare a yr earlier.
Casanova says the household has built-in into the Montreal neighborhood, taking French lessons and dealing in French.
However she and her son are scheduled to be deported on Tuesday and separated from her husband, who remains to be awaiting a listening to on his personal case.
“It’s going to be actually onerous on my son as a result of he’s very connected to his father, and so they haven’t considered all of the emotional penalties and the psychological and bodily well being points that this separation might trigger,” mentioned Casanova.
The Canadian Press has agreed to withhold the names of Casanova’s husband and little one to guard their identities as they worry reprisals in Canada and Mexico. His asylum declare listening to is scheduled for September.
Advocates and attorneys say Casanova’s case is a part of a broader development of households being separated as a consequence of a tightening of the necessities for asylum seekers and an expedition of removals.
The Canadian Press spoke with 4 immigration attorneys in Quebec who say they’ve acquired extra requests for assist from asylum seekers who could also be separated from their households over the previous couple of months than within the earlier two years. The Welcome Collective, a non-profit group in Montreal that helps newcomers, mentioned it has helped 10 households dealing with separation since March. It solely noticed two such circumstances in 2025.
“It’s one thing we weren’t seeing earlier than,” mentioned lawyer Marie-Odil Marcotte. “It’s not regular that individuals in Canada discover themselves on this state of affairs and that households are torn aside.”
The Canadian authorities recorded 23,160 deportations in 2025. This was the best reported complete in six years.
The rise seems to coincide with adjustments in federal immigration insurance policies.
The federal authorities tabled the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act final October. It was adopted in Parliament in March. It launched stricter eligibility standards for asylum seekers and elevated enforcement of removals for these deemed ineligible.
The Canada Border Companies Company mentioned it prioritizes the deportation of these posing “a critical menace to people or society” together with threats to nationwide safety, critical legal offences or human rights violations.
However Amnesty Worldwide and the Canadian Council for Refugees have criticized the legislation, arguing that it “severely limits the proper to hunt asylum” and will increase the chance of deportation for susceptible people.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada mentioned that the Act was handed to “deal with challenges similar to sudden will increase in asylum claims and conditions the place present processes could also be used to bypass common immigration pathways.”
The CBSA mentioned the Immigration and Refugee Board “discovered (Casanova) to not be an individual in want of refugee safety.” Casanova appealed, however the resolution for elimination was upheld and she or he should go away the nation on Tuesday.
Casanova mentioned the household fled Mexico after receiving threats of violence and tried kidnappings of their little one.
She was a college instructor again in Mexico and needed to develop into a college principal. However she alleges she was blacklisted and denied promotions, as a consequence of political corruption.
As soon as settled in Montreal, she labored in daycares and neighborhood organizations. She mentioned working in collective kitchens and providing free meals to these in want deepened her connection to her neighborhood.
In the meantime, she mentioned her son loves his academics and pals and has been excelling in class.
She mentioned she requested the Canada Border Companies Company to delay her deportation till after her husband’s listening to. If the federal government accepted his declare, he would have the ability to prolong everlasting residency to his spouse and little one. In any other case, she mentioned all three of them would depart Canada on the similar time.
“The essential half is that we’re collectively,” Casanova mentioned.
The CBSA advised The Canadian Press it solely acts on a elimination order “as soon as all authorized avenues of recourse that represent a keep of elimination have been exhausted,” and mentioned Casanova nonetheless has the choice of interesting to the Federal Courtroom for judicial evaluation.
Casanova mentioned she can not afford the prices of pursuing her case in courtroom.
Suzanne Taffot, an immigration lawyer based mostly in Montreal, mentioned she acquired an inflow in shoppers dealing with deportation towards the tip of 2025, in comparison with the earlier 5 years.
Taffot mentioned she’s seeing extra households be separated even when one mother or father remains to be ready for his or her listening to – like Casanova’s case.
“As an asylum seeker, if my software is accepted, I can apply for everlasting residency and embody my accomplice,” mentioned Taffot. “We’d be paying for aircraft tickets for individuals who will finally be deported, solely to return anyway. It doesn’t make sense, it’s not logical.”
Casanova’s husband, who works in building, mentioned he was keen to surrender his software course of to stick with his household. However Casanova insisted he wait till his case is heard as she nonetheless has hope his standing shall be accepted.
Flore Morel of the Welcome Collective mentioned the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada rejected Casanova’s declare regardless of recognizing the dangers and violence her household had skilled.
She mentioned the company advised Casanova she and her household might relocate safely to a different area in Mexico.
The border company didn’t verify whether or not this was the case. The company mentioned Casanova’s danger upon return was assessed by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada’s refugee safety division when her asylum declare was rejected.
Based on the federal authorities, asylum seekers who’ve their declare rejected can apply for a pre-removal danger evaluation solely 12 months after receiving the adverse resolution. This evaluation ensures persons are not returned to international locations the place they danger persecution, torture or dying.
Casanova mentioned she shall be deported earlier than these 12 months are up.
Casanova alleged there have been political events concentrating on her household throughout Mexico and that her household needed to transfer thrice earlier than coming to Canada.
“Leaving our nation, we felt OK, however leaving right here and the buddies and chosen household we made right here, it’s onerous,” mentioned Casanova. “There are such a lot of feelings, at this level I’ve cried a lot.”
Taffot mentioned the federal government desires to ship the message that it has a extra repressive immigration system. She believes the USA’ crackdown on immigration and an increase in anti-immigrant political discourse in Canada has affected the CBSA’s coverage.
“They wish to present that that is how it’s, that each one elimination orders are enforced,” mentioned Taffot. “It’s actually beneath the present authorities – the brand new Liberal authorities – that we’ve seen this development truly taking maintain.”
An modification to Canada’s immigration and refugee safety rules posted on June 20 says it’s “anticipated to assist sooner selections and faster removals.”
Of the ten circumstances of household separation dropped at the Welcome Collective, Morel mentioned two have been deported and the remainder are nonetheless preventing to remain completely.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed June 28, 2026.
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