Always interesting to see how advocates and organizations reinvent themselves by latching on to current issues. (Saperia previously was active in the post 9/11 Foundation for the Defence of Democracies which has morphed into Secure Canada with a similar focus on 9/11 victims.)
Some elements of that is proposed are in the process of being implemented in recent changes, others would run into charter and other legal challenges but the point of “endless” legal avenues is valid, as is the need for more effective enforcement.
Not surprising the focus on Iran, even though foreign interference seems to be a more substantive issue with respect to China, among others.
…1) End program-switching and restore security-first screening
Canada must close the loophole that allows individuals to enter as students, workers, or visitors — and then file asylum claims midstream or when their permits expire. This “program-switching” has turned temporary visas into back-door immigration streams, flooding the asylum system with what are often claims of convenience. Refugee protection should be reserved for those fleeing genuine danger, not for those seeking to extend their stay.
At the same time, Canada should return to a security-first approach by processing most immigration and refugee applications overseas, where proper vetting can occur before arrival. This would ensure that the system keeps track of who is entering before they arrive, preventing years-long appeals that erode public confidence. In-Canada processing should be reserved for genuine emergencies.
2) Enforce automatic deportation and end the culture of ‘compassionate’ leniency
Canadians should not need to debate whether a foreign national convicted of child abuse, domestic violence, or terrorism can remain in this country. Yet too often, the system allows offenders and their lawyers to game sentencing, strategically seeking reduced penalties to stay below deportation thresholds — and some judges accommodate this strategy, treating removal as an undue hardship rather than the natural consequence of committing a serious crime.
That mindset must change. Compassion must begin with protecting law-abiding Canadians, rather than shielding those who violate our laws. Conviction for any terrorism, espionage, violent or sexual offence, or crime against children should automatically trigger deportation, without plea bargains or discretionary exemptions that allow offenders to manipulate the system. Immigration is a privilege, not an entitlement — and decision-makers who mistake leniency for mercy compromise both justice and safety.
3) Address the CBSA Enforcement Crisis
Even the strongest laws mean nothing if no one is there to enforce them. Canada Border Services Agency officers face staggering caseloads, managing hundreds of complex security files each while navigating outdated procedures and chronic understaffing. Hundreds of veteran officers are now eligible for early retirement under new pension rules, threatening an enforcement vacuum at the precise moment that migration pressures are surging. Ottawa should immediately implement retention bonuses for experienced staff, fast-track recruitment of law-enforcement and military veterans, and establish a CBSA Reserve Corps to deploy trained retirees during processing, vetting and enforcement surges. Security capacity cannot be an afterthought; it is the foundation of the entire system.
4) Cancel the plan to fast track asylum claimants
Canada’s 2025 budget allocates $120.4 million to fast-track hundreds of thousands of asylum claimants into permanent residency, ostensibly to address processing backlogs. The government’s lack of clarity has created confusion about who qualifies as an “eligible protected person,” what mechanism will be used. Will this program resettled refugees, those accepted by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), or those granted protection through Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA)? This opacity obscures a fundamental security problem: in Canada’s immigration system, “clearing processing backlogs” has historically meant compromising security screenings in favour of processing speed and volume.
5) Close loopholes exploited by foreign regime operatives
Among the most urgent security gaps are those exploited by affiliates of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regime. Despite Iran’s designation as a state supporter of terrorism, its operatives have used Canada’s immigration and refugee pathways to establish presence, intimidate dissidents, and launder funds. Dedicated IRGC investigation units within CBSA and CSIS — supported by enhanced intelligence sharing and clear legislative authority for deportation — are overdue. Canada’s openness must never shelter those who abuse it to commit foreign repression.
Throughout Canada’s history, immigration has been central to our success — but only when coupled with healthy realism, careful screening, rigorous enforcement, respect for the rule of law, and a firm commitment to a shared civic identity. The immigration reforms that Canada needs are significant, urgent, and essential to preserving public trust, public safety, and Canada’s standing as a nation that takes immigration seriously.
Sheryl Saperia is CEO of Secure Canada, where Sophie Milman is strategic advisor. Ches W. Parsons is a retired Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP and its former Director General of National Security. Secure Canada’s mission is to combat terrorism and extremism by creating innovative laws, policies, and alliances that strengthen Canada’s national security and democracy.
Multicultural Meanderings 