Dany Villanueva once again before the Immigration and Refugee Commission

 
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This past January, Dany Villanueva learned that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will begin the process of trying to deport him from Canada, by attempting to remove his permanent residency status.
 
On April 21, Dany had a first hearing at the IRB. During this hearing, IRB commissionner Louis Dubé ordered his removal from Canada.
 
A crowd of over seventy people attended Dany's hearing, which lasted less than 5 minutes. His hearing was broadcasted over video into a separate room, so that he was cut off from his supporters. This is not a usual IRB procedure.
 
Dany intends to contest his removal order in front of the Appeal Section of the IRB. The hearing on October 13 will serve to set a date to have his appeal heard. Once again, the Dany Villanueva Support Committee is calling for a public rally to support the Villanueva family.
 
The rally in front of the IRB will start at 8:30AM on Wednesday, October 13. The hearing will start at 9AM.
 
Dany is the older brother of Fredy Villanueva, who was killed by the Montreal Police in August 2008. Dany is a key witness at the coroner’s inquest into the circumstances of his brother’s death, as he was present when officer Jean-Loup Lapointe killed Fredy Villanueva.
 
The timing of the removal proceedings against Dany is highly suspect. The CBSA started these proceedings just as Dany's testimony at the coroner's inquest was about to begin.
 
The current removal proceedings against Dany place an unbearable burden on the entire Villanueva family. They must not only remain vigilant in seeking justice for the death of their son and brother Fredy, but they must now, at the same time, struggle against the forcible removal of another son and brother.
 
Dany has already paid his debt to society. He should not be deported to Honduras, a country that he barely knows, having lived in Canada with his family since age 12. Dany is a permanent resident of Canada since 1998.
 
The proceedings against Dany expose the injustice of the “double punishment” against migrants who have been convicted of crimes. Dany has already been punished by the criminal justice system for his previous criminal conviction, but he is now being doubly punished by the initiation of removal proceedings against him. The “double punishment” particularly targets poor immigrant youth of colour who are racially and socially profiled by the police. The “double punishment” results in the removal of youth who have spent the majority of their lives in Canada back to countries they left as children. "Rehabilitation", it seems, only applies to Canadian citizens...
 
We call on all Montreal-area residents to denounce the current situation forced on the Villanueva family by the CBSA and other agencies.
 
We are demanding:
 
--> an immediate end to all removal proceedings against Dany Villanueva, and that his permanent resident status is restored;
 
--> an end to the double punishment against migrants with criminal records.
 
We continue to denounce police impunity, and we declare our support and solidarity with the Villanueva family.
 
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*ENDORSE* the campaign to stop the deportation of Dany Villanueva. If you agree with the main demands of this campaign, please send your group endorsement to: solidaritesansfrontieres@gmail.com
 
*This a joint call by the Coalition Against Police Repression and Abuse, Montréal-Nord Républik, No One Is Illegal-Montreal and Solidarity Across Borders*
 
 
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No borders, no nations, stop the deportations!
No to double punishment!
Solidarity with the Villanueva family!