Feds spool up outreach to Hispanics in U.S. to ward off more asylum seekers
OTTAWA — A Liberal MP is heading to Los Angeles this week for a pre-emptive strike against misinformation about Canada’s immigration system circulating in the Spanish-language press that officials worry could inspire a new wave of asylum seekers.
Central Americans have long been thought of as the next population primed to make the journey across the Canada-U.S. border due to major changes on the horizon in U.S. immigration policy. That includes the potential end of temporary protected status for nearly 350,000 Salvadorans and Hondurans, meaning all could face deportation to their home countries.
Spanish-speaking MP Pablo Rodriguez had already been tapped as the likely federal point-person for outreach to Hispanics in the U.S., but his trip to L.A. on Friday has been given new impetus.
On Aug. 30, the Spanish-language publication La Prensa reported that the Canadian government was set to welcome Hondurans living in the U.S. with temporary protected status, quoting a community organizer who said he had been contacted by the Canadian Embassy to explore programs.