Migrants organize a camp to demonstrate in Montreal

A dozen undocumented migrants set up a temporary camp in downtown Montreal to demand “status for all” from the federal government.

Aboubacar Kane looks drawn on this cold Sunday morning. He spent the night with a dozen others at the foot of the Guy-Favreau complex to draw attention to the plight of people without legal status, like him. “It’s a hidden reality that needs to be known,” he explains. “We did what we had to do to survive the cold outside. It was very inspiring. It allows us to look around. We are here for one night, but there are migrants who experience this every day. »

At the time of dismantling this small encampment, several organizations had gathered to show their solidarity.

Amy Darwish, coordinator of the Parc-Extension Action Committee, wanted to be present. The housing crisis is hitting people without status very hard, she says. “It’s not possible to talk about the right to housing without talking about a regularization programme. Because of rising rents, but also deportations. Many tenants are reluctant to seek recourse because they fear that their landlord will report them to border services. »

“People migrate here for more dignity and security. Instead of welcoming them here with dignity, we try to put up more barriers, by criminalizing them, marginalizing them. It is said that these policies kill ”, adds Nazila Bettache, member of the collective Care for social justice.

A few migrants actually froze to death this winter while trying to cross the border into the United States.

“When we are sleeping outside, in the snow, at -10C°, it means that we have tried all the other avenues quite a bit,” adds Ms. Bettache. “The only solution is to regularize everyone. »

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