“Guardian angels” threatened with expulsion | “We want to continue to give back to Canada”

Provincial and federal MPs as well as community organizations are uniting their voices to urge the Trudeau government to urgently suspend the removal of beneficiary attendant Deborah Adegboye and her family, threatened with deportation to Nigeria on April 5.

“We are here to tell Marc Miller [ministre fédéral de l’Immigration] that it makes no sense to force Deborah and her family to leave, when her story is an example and a model of integration, perseverance and work,” insisted Friday the deputy leader of the NDP and MP for Rosemont, Alexandre Boulerice, during a conference in front of Mr. Miller’s Montreal offices.

Last week, The Press reported that several patients and friends are mobilizing so that a family of “guardian angels” from Nigeria can remain in the country. Without immediate action, caregiver and mother of three, Deborah Adegboye, along with her husband, will be deported from Canada within a week, next Friday.

M^me Adegboye, who provides home care on behalf of the Pierrefonds CLSC, entered Canada via Roxham Road in 2017, with her partner and their first child, with the aim of requesting asylum. His family was fleeing religious threats suffered in Nigeria.

M’s husband^me Adegboye, who is not giving his name for fear of reprisals, is Christian. However, his family disapproves of this religion, urging him instead to become the head priest of a cult. His brother died following a rite of this obscure cult. He was then designated to take over. However, the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) rejected their asylum application in 2020 because it had doubts about the reality of the reported persecution.

Quebec called to raise its voice

“These are people who give their time and energy body and soul for Quebecers. I find it absurd that we are considering sending them back,” said the member for Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who is also critical of immigration issues for Québec solidaire.

The lawyer specializing in immigration asks Quebec Minister of Immigration, Christine Fréchette, to increase pressure on Ottawa. According to him, the Quebec government “should be able to demand a halt to deportation procedures when the public interest justifies it.” “We need a status regularization program, especially for our essential workers,” continued Mr. Cliche-Rivard.

Also on site, Deborah Adegboye argued Friday that she and her family only want to advance in society.

“These people are important to us. And we are important to them. They need us,” she said, speaking of the patients she treats as a beneficiary attendant, a job that her partner also does. “They will never regret having us in the community,” she added, referring to federal authorities.

Again and always, hope

Since his arrival in Canada, almost seven years ago, M^me Adegboye says she was blown away by “the hospitality and love we give you, no matter your skin color.” “People show us love, they accommodate us and above all, they give us so much hope,” she testified, not without emotion.

Her three children, aged 3, 7 and 8, are already enrolled in school in French, while she and her husband are taking French courses.

In addition to requesting asylum, the family has already made a humanitarian request. Both requests were refused. Another humanitarian request is also in progress, as is a request for a temporary residence permit. “We are asking Minister Fréchette and Minister Miller to take all possible means at this stage,” says Mr. Cliche-Rivard.

“If we deport people like Deborah, who are we as a society? What are our values ​​? », asked Mr. Boulerice, who promised “to harass Minister Miller all week if necessary”, given “the urgency of the situation”.

At Minister Marc Miller’s office, we were told on Friday that “the decision to remove a person from Canada is not taken lightly.” “Any person subject to such a measure is entitled to due process, but once all avenues of appeal have been exhausted, they are removed from Canada in accordance with Canadian law,” it was argued. .

“We are extremely grateful to everyone who came forward to support our healthcare system during the pandemic. Let us hope that this contribution will be taken into consideration in the analysis of their file, which is entirely the responsibility of the federal government,” argued the office of Minister Christine Fréchette.

With Caroline Touzin, The Press