Rally demands end to Toronto Police racial profiling & unwarranted ‘status checks’

December 16, 2015

Toronto -- Three weeks after the Toronto Police Services were caught red handed doing the work of immigration enforcement, concerned residents are gathering at the Toronto Police Service Board meeting calling for an end to racial profiling and ‘status checks’. Recent federal government documents showed that Toronto Police call immigration enforcement 100 times per week, more than Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa combined. As a result, Toronto City Hall passed a motion on December 10th calling for Toronto Police Service to end collaboration with federal immigration enforcement.

What: Public rally and letter delivery to the Toronto Police Services calling for an end to racist practice of performing ‘status checks’ on people they suspect of not having immigration status, in violation of Torontos Sanctuary City policy. Status checks are when Toronto Police independently reach out to federal immigration enforcement to inquire about an individual’s immigration status, including victims and witnesses of crime or carding, likely on the basis of their accent or skin colour.

When: Thursday, December 17 at 12 noon.

Where: Toronto Police Headquarters at 40 College Street.

Who: Migrant justice organization No One Is Illegal - Toronto, Urban Alliance on Race Relations, Network for the Elimination of Police Violence, Migrant Sex Workers Project and more. Letter signed by front line service workers, community organizations, legal workers, and educators.

Visual: Organizers from No One Is Illegal-Toronto along with allies, supporters and samba band. Banner reading ‘No Status Checks in a Sanctuary City’


For more information contact:
Karl Gardner
Media Liaison
No One Is Illegal - Toronto
Phone: 647-963-5435
Email: nooneisillegal@riseup.net
Website: toronto.nooneisillegal.org/ImmigrationsDirtyWork