Newfoundland and Labrador in Eastern Canada is the only Canadian province that has no plans to end the controversial practice of detaining immigrants in its provincial jails.

Meanwhile, all other Canadian provinces have informed the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that they will no longer agree to detain individuals held under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Detaining immigrants for administrative purposes in the same jails where immigrants are held for criminal reasons is considered a violation of international law, according to many experts.

The Department of Justice and Public Safety in the provincial liberal government, in response to questions from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, stated that if arrests are required, each case will be evaluated individually.

It is worth noting that immigrant detention is not a common practice in Newfoundland and Labrador. The department says the province does not have a formal agreement with the Canada Border Services Agency.

Last year, six people were detained in relation to immigration issues in the Atlantic province, according to statistics from the Canada Border Services Agency. According to the federal agency, there are currently no such detainees in Newfoundland and Labrador.

It is mentioned that Human Rights Watch is one of the human rights organizations that launched the “Welcome to Canada” campaign in 2021 to encourage Canadian provinces to end their agreements with the federal government regarding immigrant detention.

Here, Gro asks, “Why is Newfoundland the only province committed to maintaining this abusive practice?” The human rights activist adds, “Since it is an ‘uncommon practice,’ this is an additional reason to stop it.” “It is not an excuse to continue it,” she said.

Gro fears that the Border Services Agency will send immigrants, who other provinces today refuse to detain, to Newfoundland and Labrador.

The spokesperson adds: “We have seen that the Canada Border Services Agency does not hesitate to transfer people from one province to another to keep them in detention. It is very concerning

Border services officers can detain foreign citizens or permanent residents, including asylum seekers, for three main reasons: risk of flight, unclear identity, and risk to public safety.

It is worth noting that the vast majority of the 71,988 immigrants detained by the Canada Border Services Agency between 2012 and 2023 were at risk of flight, meaning the agency feared they would evade immigration procedures, such as deportation.

Since June 2022, nine provinces across the country have refused to detain individuals related to immigration matters or have committed to doing so in the coming months. Several provinces have signed formal contracts with the Canada Border Services Agency requiring a one-year notice to end their agreements.

In response to the provinces’ decision, the Border Services Agency indicated last December that it is updating its three federal immigration monitoring centers in Laval in Quebec, Toronto in Ontario, and Surrey in British Columbia, to be able to keep high-risk individuals there.

The federal agency confirms that detention is only used as a last resort when community alternatives are not possible.

Many immigrants have died during detention over the years, including some by suicide