Designated Countries and Immigration and Refugee Board

Immigration and Refugee Board: Figures provided by the Immigration and Refugee Board to News show 47 claimants from the U.S. have been approved since 2007, even though the U.S. is on a list of "Designated Countries of Origin" that are deemed by Canada to respect human rights and offer state protection and therefore don't produce what Canada would recognize as refugees. , according to CBC. Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander has defended the federal government controversial move to cut back refugee health care by insisting taxpayers should not foot the bill for claimants who would eventually be rejected as illegitimate or "bogus." The federal government says refugees from a list of "safe" countries are "bogus" and don't deserve health care, yet hundreds of these claimants have been approved as legitimate refugees, including dozens from the United States. A small number of claimants from other "safe" countries, such as Belgium, Germany, France, Sweden have also been approved joining hundreds more from Mexico, Hungary and countries that have recently been added the DCO list. View the list of Designated Countries of Origin (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.