By Asia Samachar | Canada |
Iqwinder Gaheer has underscored the need to balance enforcement with compassion following a visit to the Toronto Immigration Holding Centre operated by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
In a social media update, the first-term Liberal MP said it was “important to see firsthand how our system operates,” adding that Canada’s border processes are “built on fairness, respect, and compassion—even as we carefully review each case.”
“Accountability and humanity must go hand in hand,” he said.
The Toronto centre is one of the country’s key facilities used to detain individuals under immigration laws. Detainees are typically held for administrative reasons—such as identity verification, flight risk, or pending removal—rather than for criminal offences.
Gaheer’s visit comes amid ongoing national conversations about immigration enforcement and the treatment of detainees. Advocacy groups in Canada have, in recent years, raised concerns about detention conditions and the length of time some individuals are held, while authorities maintain that detention is used judiciously and subject to regular review.
Under Canadian law, detainees are entitled to periodic reviews of their cases by the Immigration and Refugee Board, which assesses whether continued detention is justified.
Gaheer, a lawyer by training, represents Mississauga–Malton, a diverse suburban riding with a significant immigrant population. His remarks reflect a broader emphasis within government ranks on maintaining public confidence in the immigration system while upholding humanitarian standards.
While he did not elaborate on specific findings from the visit, his comments signal an effort to engage directly with frontline operations and reinforce principles of transparency and oversight in Canada’s border and immigration framework.
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