Toronto East Detention Centre, where former immigration detainee Alvin Brown spent much of his time behind bars. ( Gary Yokoyama / The Hamilton Spectator file photo )Facing a constitutional challenge and widespread criticism from humanitarian organizations, government lawyers defended Canada’s immigration detention system in Federal Court on Tuesday, saying indefinite detention is necessary to ensure public safety. Two years ago the United Nations Human Rights Committee called on Canada to set a “reasonable” time limit for immigration detention. Ali, who was the longest-serving immigration detainee, lacked the documentation to prove his citizenship and his home country refused to take him back. As part of a recent investigation into immigration detention, the Star found that the monthly detention reviews amounted to little more than a rubber stamp.

Source: thestar May 17, 2017 09:56 UTC