Almost 42,000 immigrants have gone underground and are being sought on warrants for deportation -- one quarter of the 160,000 people who are in different stages of removal from Canada, according to just-released government documents.
There are more surprising numbers: More than half being removed are from Greater Toronto, the destination of choice for a staggering 60 per cent of all newcomers to Canada.
Toronto Police Association officials said they're concerned because people facing deportation are desperate and will do anything to escape arrest.
"We are most concerned for our front-line officers," association president Mike McCormack said yesterday. "This raises safety concerns since these people are desperate and want to avoid compliance."
The association has had a lawsuit ongoing for 15 years against the department alleging negligence in the June 1994 shooting death of Toronto Police Const. Todd Baylis by two-time deportee Clinton Gayle.
"It's been 15 years since Baylis was killed and it shows that very little has changed," McCormack said, adding the association will petition immigration minister Jason Kenney to speed up deportations.
The August 2009 statistics were obtained from the Canada Border Services Agency by Quebec lawyer Richard Kurland and made available to the Toronto Sun.
CBSA spokesman Patrizia Giolti confirmed the document was released by her officials but refused further comment.
The document said of the 160,000 offenders awaiting deportation, some 85,500 are awaiting a decision of their refugee appeals, 14,800 are appealing to the Federal Court of Canada and 17,800 are waiting for travel documents.
It said immigration officers are actively searching for 42,000 immigrants who have gone underground and are sought on warrants.
"The numbers of people being removed is staggering," Kurland said yesterday. "That number is bigger than many small cities."
He said there are many thousands of others in Canada who are unaccounted for by immigration authorities because they've gone underground or have left the country.
"A large amount of the people are from the GTA," Kurland said.
"Many arrive in Canada and settle in Toronto."
The document said the top countries for deportation include Mexico, the U.S., St. Vincent and the Grenadines, China and Jamaica.
It said it costs about $1,500 to deport a person without an escort and up to $15,000 for deportees who require two escort officers. In some cases, up to $500,000 is spent to charter a jet to deport dangerous offenders.
TOM.GODFREY@SUNMEDIA.CA
