Skip to content

Human smuggling charges dropped against U.S. refugee worker

November 13, 2007

By pwrdf

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Canadian government on November 9, dropped human smuggling charges against Janet Hinshaw-Thomas, a U.S. refugee aid worker arrested for helping Haitians to enter Canada.

Ms.Hinshaw-Thomas is the director of the Pennsylvania-based PRIME Ecumenical Commitment to Refugees, she was arrested September 26 in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, on chargers that carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. She was aiding 12 Haitian nationals, including seven children, so that they could claim asylum at the Canadian-American border.
Mitchell Goldberg, the lawyer for Hinshaw-Thomas, said no reason was given for the withdrawal of the charges late Thursday, but it could be attributed in part to Canadian faith leaders and human rights organizations pressuring the government such as PWRDF partner the Canadian Council for Refugees and Amnesty International who were among her strongest backers.The Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, Archbishop Fred Hiltz, was among the 12 faith leaders who signed on to a letter dated November 1, speaking out against the arrest of Ms. Hinshaw-Thomas. “As leaders of faith communities deeply committed to justice for refugees, we are compelled to speak out about our obligation to assist our fellow human beings who are fleeing persecution,” said the letter, noting that, “helping someone to make a refugee claim in Canada is not only a response to this call to assist, but also, we believe, consistent with the fundamental objectives of the Immigration and Refugee Protection ACT and with the best elements in Canada’s humanitarian traditions.”
Other faith leaders who signed on to the letter represented the Baptist, Christian Reformed, Evangelical Lutheran, Friends (Quaker), Mennonite, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, and United Church denominations, as well as a Jewish congregation.
The faith leaders called on the government to drop the charges against Ms. Hinshaw-Thomas. They also demanded legislative changes to prevent future charges being laid against those who assist refugee claimants for humanitarian motives.
Ms. Hinshaw-Thomas was charged under section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which states it a crime to “organize, induce, aid or abet” the entry into Canada of persons who do not have a visa or passport.
Strongly worded letters were also sent to federal cabinet ministers by former cabinet ministers such as Lloyd Axworthy, Joe Clark, Allan Rock and Irwin Cotler. The three opposition parties in Parliament also spoke out on her case.
For more information on the Refugee system in Canada please visit the Canadian Council for Refugees website:  www.ccrweb.ca

All News Posts

For media requests please contact Communications Coordinator Janice Biehn at (416) 924-9199;366.

Campaigns and Advocacy Stories

Canada Stories

Refugees and Migrants Stories