[Migrantjusticedocumentary] Solidarity Picket friday (today) at 12h30--- won't be in the office... hope to see yous in the street! xo

[Danielle Holyk]

(FRIDAY) URGENT: Solidarity Picket with Ivonne Hernandez Segura; Non-status
survivor of conjugal violence loses custody of son, faces imminent
deportation
January 23, 2014

* <http://www.solidarityacrossborders.org/wp-content/uploads/Ivonne.jpg>->
Non-status survivor of conjugal violence loses custody of son, arrested in
preplanned public ambush, and faces imminent deportation*
*-> Solidarity with Ivonne Hernandez Segura*

*Urgent Solidarity Picket Tomorrow*




*FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 at 12:30pmImmigration and Refugee Board (IRB)200
René-Lévesque West (Complexe Guy-Favreau)métro Place d’Armes or métro
Place-des-Arts*


*Also:– Write/call/fax the Minister of Immigration (details below)– Court
solidarity; details to be announced (visit @SolidariteMTL on twitter
or www.solidarityacrossborders.org
<http://www.solidarityacrossborders.org/> for updates)*
*– Email us at solidaritesansfrontieres at gmail.com
<solidaritesansfrontieres at gmail.com> to stay in touch*

(Thursday, January 23, 2014, Montreal) *Ivonne Angelina Hernandez Segura, a
survivor of conjugal violence who has been living without immigration
status in Canada for a year and a half, was arrested in a pre-planned
public ambush involving police and border authorities at Berri-UQAM metro
station at approximately 4pm yesterday (January 22). Ivonne was arrested
while she was picking up her one-year old son from her ex-partner.*

Ivonne is at risk of imminent deportation. If she is deported, her son will
be separated from her, perhaps for life. She is currently being held at
Laval Immigration Detention Centre. She will appear at a Detention Review
hearing tomorrow before the Immigration and Refugee Board, at Complexe
Guy-Favreau.

On 11 December 2013, Ivonne fled to a women’s shelter with her son to
escape a situation of conjugal violence. Her ex-partner promptly denounced
her to authorities. In a shocking ruling on 10 January 2014, a family court
judge awarded custody of the child to the father because of Ivonne’s
vulnerable immigration status. Ivonne and her son were allowed to see each
other six hours a week.

Ivonne came to Canada to seek asylum in 2009 but was refused in 2011 and
ordered deported. Rather than return to the very real danger she faced in
Mexico, Ms. Hernandez Segura joined the estimated half a million people
living without papers in Canada, among the most vulnerable and exploited
members of our society.

*A mother has had her child removed from her custody, perhaps permanently,
due to her immigration status. Every aspect of this case is disgusting and
shocking. Ivonne should not be in detention. Ivonne should have status in
Canada. Ivonne should have protection from conjugal violence. And, most
importantly, Ivonne, a loving mother, should not be separated from her son.*

Canada has made it very difficult for people in Ivonne’s situation to
regularize their status. Although Mexico has one of the highest rates of
domestic violence in the world, and has an extremely high homicide rate,
Canada has placed Mexico on a list of “safe countries”; countries that
Canada claims can protect its citizens from violence. A request to re-open
Ivonne’s immigration file was made in November, because immigration
officials failed to take all of the evidence into account, but there has
not yet been a response. However, the Minister of Immigration has the
discretionary power – and the obligation under international law – to
intervene in the file and regularize Ms. Hernandez Segura’s status.

*PLEASE SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY*

1. Picket and Hearing. Come out to a picket tomorrow at 12:30pm in front of
Immigration and Refugee Board, Guy Favreau, 200 Rene Levesque West, Place
d’Armes metro. Bring your signs & banners. There will also be a detention
review hearing but we don’t yet know the time or if we will be allowed in;
we will try to find out – if we do, we’ll let you know so you can come to
show your support.

2. Email/call Minister of Immigration, Chris Alexander. Ask him to urgently
intervene to regularize Ivonne’s status and ensure she is not separated
from her child.
Telephone: 613-995-8042 Fax: 613-996-1289
Telephone: 905-426-6808 Fax: 905-426-9564
Chris.Alexander at parl.gc.ca
Minister at cic.gc.ca.
@MinChrisA

3.  E-mail solidaritesansfrontieres at gmail.com to stay in touch about
developments in this case and for updates; we need your active support!
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