Immigration And Refugee Board: Asylum Seekers

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney Dept: The bill originally allowed for a large group of asylum seekers who were smuggled into Canada to be detained for up to one year without a review by the Immigration and Refugee Board. Kenney said his proposed amendment would call for a detention review within 14 days, and then again six months after arrival, according to CTV. "It ensures there will be a review of detention by the independent quasi-judicial Immigration and Refugee Board. It also ensures that we have enough time to truly identify smuggled migrants and ensure that they do not constitute a security risk." Immigration Minister Jason Kenney bowed to opposition pressure Wednesday and announced proposed amendments to Bill C-31, the legislation designed to overhaul Canada's immigration and refugee system. "We believe this strikes the right balance," Kenney told reporters on Parliament Hill. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.