Open letter: Migrants have the right to protest without fear in Canada

Editor’s note: The following open letter is a response to the shocking treatment of international students by police and immigration authorities in Alberta this summer — actions that are disturbingly similar the crackdown against (im)migrants who have engaged in political dissent under President Donald Trump in the United States, as detailed below. 

Over 250 organizations across Canada have signed a letter denouncing this ICE-style crackdown, which occurred amid a larger surge in racism and virulent anti-immigrant sentiment. In New Brunswick, the signatories include the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre and Independent Jewish Voices–New Brunswick.

Prime Minister Mark Carney

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree

Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, are deeply alarmed by the actions of Calgary Police and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at a protest by international graduates in Calgary on August 12, 2026.

Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental Charter-protected rights. They do not belong only to Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Migrants must be able to speak out, organize and protest without those activities becoming a pathway to immigration enforcement.

A migrant worker standing on a picket line must be able to speak out against their employer. An international student must be able to protest government policy. Refugees and undocumented people must be able to attend rallies, organize in their communities and criticize those in power. Immigration enforcement cannot be the price of participating in public life.

At least 1,500 Portage College students completed programs that were eligible for post graduate work permits when they enrolled. After they had completed their studies, in June 2026, Immigration Canada introduced a new rule excluding so-called “non-credit” programs to deny their applications. As a result, they began a round-the-clock protest on July 17 in Calgary and Edmonton.

On August 12, Calgary Police entered the protest site reportedly over access to a sidewalk. Police then asked CBSA to verify the immigration status of four people. CBSA subsequently arrived, checked 20 protesters and referred 12 for further investigation. Ten of them have since received exclusion orders and face deportation. These students also have Federal Court challenges underway and are pursuing available legal processes to restore their status and obtain new study permits. 

When police and immigration enforcement collect information from people exercising their democratic rights and use it for immigration enforcement, it creates a chilling effect far beyond the individuals involved. These actions are happening amid already growing fear in immigrant communities, with deportations at their highest level in more than a decade and new powers under Bill C-12 allowing the government to cancel or suspend immigration documents and application processing. Migrants across the country are being told that joining the next protest, picket line or public meeting could put their ability to remain in Canada at risk.

We have all watched in horror as immigration enforcement in the United States has been used against immigrants engaged in political expression. Canada must not go down that road. The events of August 12 must never be repeated. We call on the federal government and the government of Alberta to take immediate action including: 

1. Clear public policies ensuring that participation in peaceful protests, picket lines and other protected political activity does not result in immigration enforcement. 
2. An independent investigation into Calgary Police and CBSA’s actions on August 12, with public findings and accountability for any wrongdoing. 
3. Immediate suspension of the exclusion orders and any removal action arising from the August 12 enforcement while these events are investigated. 
4. Resolution to the fundamental injustice that brought these students into the streets by exempting them from the retroactive application of the new PGWP eligibility rules and assessing them under the rules in place when they enrolled.

You can find the full list of signatories at migrantrights.ca/RighttoProtest.