Migrants rights groups call on government to withdraw border security bill

OTTAWA — Migrant advocacy groups say the federal government should drop its border security bill C-12, calling the legislation an open door to violations of their rights.

The bill includes a host of immigration and asylum measures, including one that would bar individuals from filing refugee applications with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada if they’ve been in Canada for more than a year.

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The bill is being reviewed by House of Commons committees and is up for clause-by-clause consideration at Tuesday’s national security committee meeting.

Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner said last week she plans to introduce several amendments to the bill, including one that would block refugee applications from people who came to Canada from a European or G7 nation.

Karen Cocq, spokesperson for the Migrant Rights Network, says such restrictions on who can make asylum claims go against international law and are unconstitutional.

The Migrant Rights Network and its partner organizations say they tried to get on the committee witness list to testify about this legislation, but were unsuccessful.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 24, 2025.

David Baxter, The Canadian Press