Honest, paywall-free news is rare. Please support our boldly independent journalism with a donation of any size.

Warning: The story below contains references to sexual violence.

Toronto, Canada — Ale saw Canada as a lifeline. Members of a drug cartel in her home country of Mexico had her in their sights, and over the course of three years, the 32-year-old had been beaten, raped, kidnapped, and extorted for thousands of dollars.

The cartel members had threatened her and her parents, and they killed her dog.

Yet despite pleading with local police for help, Ale — who asked to only be identified by a first name due to a fear of reprisals — said no action was taken. She was on her own.

“It was a very hard situation for me because nobody can help me,” she recalled. “Nobody.”

So when she had saved up enough money to fly to Canada in March, Ale said she hoped to rebuild her life far from the violence that had plagued her.

Canada Considers Anti-Immigrant Bills as Haitian Immigrants in the US Flee North

But a new Canadian law, which restricts access to the country’s asylum system and has been denounced by dozens of civil society groups as an affront to the rights of migrants and refugees, has put those dreams at risk.

“I thought I would be able to be safe here,” Ale told Truthout in an interview in Toronto, Canada’s largest city. “But with all these things that are happening now, I’m so confused about my future.”

The Canadian government passed the new law — the Strengthening Canada’s Immigration System and Borders Act, more commonly known as Bill C-12 — in late March.

Officials said the legislation would help reduce pressure on a backlogged immigration system and deter people from making unfounded asylum claims in an attempt to stay in Canada after the closure of other immigration pathways.

Bill C-12 came amid years of growing anti-immigrant views and rhetoric in Canada, fueled in large part by right-wing politicians and groups under the shadow of deepening socioeconomic issues.

In 2024, for the first time in over two decades, a poll found that a majority of Canadians said there was “too much” immigration.

In 2024, for the first time in over two decades, a poll found that a majority of Canadians said there was “too much” immigration.

Newcomers have been blamed for a slew of social problems, from a lack of affordable housing to long hospital wait times. And in 2024, for the first time in over two decades, a poll found that a majority of Canadians said there was “too much” immigration.

The shift has mirrored similar anti-migrant and anti-refugee trends happening south of the border in the United States and in other countries as global displacement has soared in recent years.

As U.S. President Donald Trump prepared to launch a wide-reaching crackdown on migrants and refugees after winning the 2024 election, Canada also moved to tighten its immigration system following a rapid influx of newcomers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The curbs began under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who, as he fought to save his political career ahead of a 2025 vote, tapped into growing public discontent over immigration to announce cuts to major programs.

The restrictions have continued — and gone even further — since Trudeau’s successor, Mark Carney, took office in April 2025. Carney has maintained sweeping cuts to international student visas, strengthened policing at the Canada-U.S. border, and slashed a health care program for refugees.

The central banker-turned-prime minister also is overseeing wide-reaching budget cuts across the government, including the immigration........

© Truthout