It's been an absolute deluge of immigration developments from our huge, rich neighbour to the south.
Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt. Être votre voisin, c'est comme dormir avec un éléphant; quelque douce et placide que soit la bête, on subit chacun de ses mouvements et de ses grognements. P.E. Trudeau Addressing the Press Club in Washington, D.C. (25 March 1969)
My throat is hoarse from the number of interviews I've done on the repercussions of the Trump Presidency on Canada's immigration policies. In this case, a prominent Albertan (of Iranian descent) biomedical engineer was denied entry in the US earlier this month. The rollout of this "Muslim ban" has been beset by incompetence and an underlying hostility to the adherents of one religion (and thus is subject to challenge).
Transcript:
Parsin Hajireza: We planned to go through San Francisco with five others, my colleagues, my research team. At the airport, unfortunately, they didn't let me to pass through.
Shallima Maharaj: Plans that had been the works for months so that Parsin Hajireza and his team could attend a biomedical engineering conference south of the border.
Parsin Hajireza: They didn't give me a boarding pass and they told me I just can't go too. Nothing. No documents. Nothing written. No statement. No stamp on my passport. Nothing. They just gave my passport back and they said "sorry, we can't do anything."
Shallima Maharaj: Hajireza was born in Iran. One of seven countries affected by a Trump imposed travel ban. He's a permanent resident of this country and had obtained a Visa to attend a conference he's been to several times before.
ShallimaMaharaj: Confusion over the executive order spilled into airports across the US and led to protests.
Raj Sharma: On Friday it was applying to Canadians. Saturday morning it's applying to Canadian dual nationals. Saturday evening it's not. And then even the senior members of the Trump government are themselves confused. So we actually don't really know. I think more light has to be shed on this.
Shallima Maharaj: Especially surprising to immigration lawyer Raj Sharma. Was the order had an impact on green card holders, legally entitled to live, work, leave, and return to the United States. When it comes to Hajireza's case.
Raj Sharma: That might be his loss. In not being able to go to a conference in the United States. I think it might be the United States loss as well. They're going to lose a lot of talent, if they're turning away this level of talent from these countries.
Shallima Maharaj: Late Sunday afternoon, Canada's Immigration Minister spoke.
CA Imm Minister Ahmed Hussen: We've been assured by the White House that Canadian permanent residents, with a valid Canadian permanent resident card, and passport from those seven countries can still enter as before.
Shallima Maharaj: But whether that will change the situation for Hajireza remains to be seen.
Parsin Hajireza: I think of so many things in life that you don't have control under. Such as the first language you learn to speak with. The place you are born. Your skin color.
Shallima Maharaj: Shallima Maharaj. Global news.
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