A man from Pakistan was deported by the United States shortly after Canadian border services agreed to review his case. However, the decision was only communicated to his lawyer five days later, rendering it ineffective. Abdul Raqeeb was held in a New York Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility for over two months this summer. The family’s plight was first highlighted by CBC News in early September while Abdul was detained, and his wife Saba and their two-and-a-half-year-old child Shahzain were residing at a migrant shelter in Buffalo. Despite presenting evidence of Abdul’s uncle in Canada, which made them eligible to enter and seek refugee status, Canadian border agents turned the family away at an official crossing in July.
Following the news coverage, immigration lawyer Jared Will from Toronto took on the Raqeeb family’s case and urgently requested the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to reconsider their entry request at a land border before Abdul’s deportation from the U.S. Saba and Shahzain continue to wait in Buffalo for further developments. The CBSA responded via email on September 23, agreeing to a reconsideration if Raqeeb could present himself in person at a Canadian land port of entry upon a scheduled appointment. However, the email was dated September 18, the same day Raqeeb was deported, and was only received by Will five days later. This situation highlights instances of individuals being denied entry into Canada despite meeting eligibility criteria, possibly due to CBSA’s strict standards.
Abdul Raqeeb, aged 46, had migrated from Pakistan to the U.S. earlier in the year with his wife and toddler on a business and tourism visa. The family decided to move after Abdul received death threats for aiding a stranger escape violence in Islamabad. They sought asylum in Canada following changes in U.S. immigration policies. Their attempt to cross into Canada in July was thwarted at the Peace Bridge port of entry, leading to their detention by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. While Saba and Shahzain were eventually released after 11 days, Raqeeb was transferred to ICE custody in Batavia, N.Y., near Buffalo. Raqeeb opted for voluntary deportation due to health issues and poor detention conditions.
After leaving the U.S., Raqeeb faced challenges upon his return to Islamabad, including demands for a significant sum of money by Pakistani authorities. Despite these obstacles, he managed to reach Islamabad on September 21. The last-minute decision by CBSA for him to report to a Canadian land border through the U.S. left Saba questioning the situation. Legal avenues for Raqeeb to enter Canada are limited, with one option being a rare exception of a temporary residence permit or visitor visa granted by Immigration Minister Lena Diab. Will is investigating further options for Raqeeb’s entry into Canada and questioning the delayed communication of CBSA’s decision, which he deems now futile.
The trend of stricter measures by CBSA in denying entry to individuals, as noted by Will, contrasts with past practices of easier release by U.S. immigration officials. CBSA’s own data indicates a higher proportion of rejections at land border crossings in 2025 compared to the previous year. The agency’s commitment to remove an additional 4,000 individuals from the country by 2027 demonstrates a continued enforcement approach.