FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2009
Canadians Take Minister Of Immigration & CBSA to Court.
Canadians Against Immigration Fraud (CAIF) is a non profit organization that advocates for the rights of victims of immigration marriage fraud. Marriage of convenience or immigration marriage fraud occurs when a sponsored spouse from overseas commits fraud through misrepresentation by contracting a marriage with a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident for the sole purpose of gaining immigrant status in Canada.
As a consequence, thousands of innocent Canadian and permanent resident sponsors who married in good faith suffer financial loss, psychological trauma, social stigma and legal liabilities in family law.
These Canadian and permanent residents have submitted complaints to both Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) for investigation to revoke their former spouses immigration status for misrepresentation.
CAIF has commenced a Class Action in Federal Court on behalf of these victims of immigration fraud marriage against CIC and CBSA.Thousands of innocent victims of marriage fraud have exhausted all their avenues in order to seek justice in spite of having submitted well documented complaints to both CIC and CBSA against their former spouses.
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) has provisions for investigation and revocation of status in cases of marriages of convenience. To date, CIC and CBSA have not systematically or effectively pursued the perpetrators of marriage fraud who remain in Canada legally with impunity.
Immigration- based marriage fraud is growing rapidly in Canada every year. These foreign fraudsters are playing with the lives of innocent Canadians and Government is failing to protect the rights of Canadians.
By default the government rewards these frauds and encourages thousands of other foreign nationals to pursue this avenue of illegal immigration into Canada at the expense of the victims and Canadian taxpayers. The governments lack of action widens the door for more fraud, crime and other illegal activities.
The Canadian Press has reported hundreds of Immigration based marriage fraud cases in the past. Fraud is a criminal offence and marriage is not an Immigration deal.
Canadians Against Immigration Fraud and victims are putting their faith in our justice system to prevail and do what is right. And what is right is to seek justice for victims and all Canadians.
Canadians Against Immigration Fraud will be hosting a media conference on Thursday, February 12 in Ottawa at the law office of Julie Taub, 451 Daly Avenue in the Board Room at 1 p.m.
For further information about class action filed in Federal Court, please contact any of these people: Sam Benet @ 416-666-1912, Shah Moayedi @ 647-989-1650, Cindy Green @ 416-804-0493 or Maggie Cook @ 1-905-929-4937.
Or you can contact our Solicitor Julie Taub, Ottawa at 613 222-4446.
Sam S Benet,
President,
Canadians Against Immigration Fraud
