Canada’s Strong Borders Act explained: What Bill C-2 means for immigration and refugees
Refugee claimants face stricter deadlines and reduced access to hearings
DUBAI: Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government has tabled Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act, a sweeping piece of legislation aimed at tightening border security and overhauling Canada’s refugee system.
Touted as a modernisation effort to combat organised crime and safeguard national security, the bill has instead sparked a wave of alarm among immigration lawyers, human rights groups, and civil society advocates.
Bill C-2 represents the most significant shift in Canadian immigration enforcement in decades. While Ottawa insists it is acting to protect communities and stem illicit flows, critics argue the price may be Canada’s longstanding reputation as a defender of refugee rights and due process.
What is Bill C-2?
Bill C-2 is a wide-ranging omnibus law that expands enforcement powers at Canadian borders, gives federal ministers new authority over immigration files, and imposes tougher restrictions on refugee claimants. It updates the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and other statutes under the banner of protecting Canadians from “emerging global threats” such as fentanyl smuggling, money laundering, and irregular migration.
The government describes it as “a necessary update to Canada’s border management system,” with an emphasis on law enforcement and deterrence. However, legal experts argue that it undermines long-standing protections for asylum seekers and migrants.
Key changes under the proposed bill:
- Mail inspections will be expanded, allowing Canada Post and police to open parcels without warrants in the course of criminal investigations.
- The Coast Guard will receive new powers to conduct maritime patrols, search vessels, and share intelligence with other agencies.
- Large cash transactions between private individuals will be banned if they exceed C$10,000, as part of anti-money laundering measures.
- Information-sharing between Canadian and U.S. border agencies will be broadened, and data collection on visa applicants will be intensified.
- Flagpoling – the act of applying for immigration status at land borders – will be curtailed through new regulations.
Additionally, the bill allows cabinet to suspend, revoke or alter any visa or residency status without notice, citing public interest. Critics warn that this amounts to unchecked executive power over immigration files.
What it means for refugees
The bill’s most controversial sections involve asylum seekers and refugee claims. Key provisions include:
- A retroactive bar on claims by individuals who entered Canada on or after 24 June 2020 but waited more than 12 months to apply for asylum.
- Claimants crossing irregularly from the United States who do not file claims within 14 days will be denied a hearing.
- All asylum claims must now be made from inside Canada, eliminating remote or offshore processing.
- Immigration officers may pause the intake of refugee applications or cancel documents where “public interest” is cited.
- Many claimants could instead be pushed into the Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) stream – a paper-only process with limited access to legal counsel or appeals.
In effect, refugee advocates say the bill introduces a "two-tiered" system that could leave thousands in limbo – or deported without a hearing.
Legal and human rights concerns
Lawyers and human rights groups have condemned Bill C-2 as a direct threat to asylum protections.
“Seeking asylum is a human right. With Bill C-2, the Canadian government threatens to chip away at that right,” said Ketty Nivyabandi, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada.
The Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers (CARL) warns the legislation would disproportionately harm vulnerable individuals such as survivors of war, trauma, or gender-based violence, who may delay seeking help due to fear or shame.
CARL co-chair Adam Sadinsky said the bill “alters the fundamental character of Canada’s refugee system” and creates legal pathways for mass deportations without due process.
Civil society backlash
Civil society organisations have launched urgent campaigns to halt or amend the bill. Migrant Rights Network spokesperson Syed Hussan called it “a deportation machine disguised as reform” and accused Ottawa of mirroring the Trump-era immigration tactics once criticised by Prime Minister Carney.
“This is a dangerous rollback of Canada’s human rights obligations,” Hussan said. “We are witnessing the institutionalisation of fear and exclusion.”
Groups have urged MPs to remove sections that deny access to hearings, grant ministers sweeping discretionary powers, and expand deportation pathways without legal safeguards.
What happens next?
Bill C-2 is currently undergoing parliamentary debate. The Carney government holds a working majority and has signalled its intent to fast-track the legislation by summer. However, mounting legal challenges, grassroots opposition, and public outcry may yet delay or reshape its passage.
In the meantime, immigration lawyers recommend that anyone with pending claims seek legal counsel immediately. With provisions that apply retroactively, even past entrants to Canada could be affected.