Refugees: Myths and Facts #4
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Myth #4: Refugees are a security risk for Canada
The Facts: Refugees seek safety and protection from persecution. They do not pose a risk to Canada. Once someone claims asylum in Canada or before they are sponsored for resettlement in Canada, they undergo rigorous security screening by RCMP, Canadian Border Services and Canadian Security Intelligence Service. They will be excluded from the refugee process or for resettlement if they present a national security threat or because of serious criminality, organized crime, or human rights violations. Since these measures were introduced very few asylum seekers have been found to be a security threat. Even in urgent refugee situations, like that of Syrians fleeing civil war, only 0.3% were refused because they posed a threat to Canada or had committed a serious crime.[i] Refugees are not statistically more dangerous than native-born Canadians. In fact, a recent study found that new comers are under-represented in prison populations, and that over the long-term, property crime tends to diminish in their vicinity.[ii] Refugees and immigrants commit fewer crimes than Canadian-born citizens, although when they do, their crimes seem to receive a disproportionate amount of media coverage.
[i] www.lapresse.ca/actualities/national/201605/18/01-4982780-refugies-syriens-79-demandes- refusees-pour-des-raisons-de-securite.php In an article in La Presse (Montreal) of 18-05- 2016 it was stated that only 79 Syrians who applied to come to Canada as a refugee were refused for security reasons. (link no longer functions)
[ii] "Immigration and Crime: Evidence from Canada" , Haimin Zhang, Vancouver School of Economics, January 2014.
The Facts: Refugees seek safety and protection from persecution. They do not pose a risk to Canada. Once someone claims asylum in Canada or before they are sponsored for resettlement in Canada, they undergo rigorous security screening by RCMP, Canadian Border Services and Canadian Security Intelligence Service. They will be excluded from the refugee process or for resettlement if they present a national security threat or because of serious criminality, organized crime, or human rights violations. Since these measures were introduced very few asylum seekers have been found to be a security threat. Even in urgent refugee situations, like that of Syrians fleeing civil war, only 0.3% were refused because they posed a threat to Canada or had committed a serious crime.[i] Refugees are not statistically more dangerous than native-born Canadians. In fact, a recent study found that new comers are under-represented in prison populations, and that over the long-term, property crime tends to diminish in their vicinity.[ii] Refugees and immigrants commit fewer crimes than Canadian-born citizens, although when they do, their crimes seem to receive a disproportionate amount of media coverage.
[i] www.lapresse.ca/actualities/national/201605/18/01-4982780-refugies-syriens-79-demandes- refusees-pour-des-raisons-de-securite.php In an article in La Presse (Montreal) of 18-05- 2016 it was stated that only 79 Syrians who applied to come to Canada as a refugee were refused for security reasons. (link no longer functions)
[ii] "Immigration and Crime: Evidence from Canada" , Haimin Zhang, Vancouver School of Economics, January 2014.