In 2017, Mudasar Hussain, a permanent resident of Canada, was convicted of drug dealing. Rather than deporting him to Pakistan, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued a 'stern warning letter' advising that no enforcement action would be taken if he stayed out of trouble, despite his inadmissibility.
This practice of sending warning letters to non-citizen criminals instead of deporting them dates back to at least the 1990s. It has proven ineffective as a deterrent. Hussain went on to commit more crimes, and removal proceedings resumed in 2022. His deportation flight was scheduled for April 2026, but whether he actually left remains unclear, as federal officials refuse to confirm deportations due to privacy laws.
Hussain's history includes an arranged marriage, drug addiction, domestic assault, and multiple incarcerations. He argued that deportation would hinder his recovery, but the court rejected this. The case highlights the delay caused by the 2017 warning letter.
Court records reveal similar cases. In 2009, Karlene Alexander, a Jamaican permanent resident with 65 convictions between 1986 and 2008, received a warning letter in 1992 after 23 offences, but it did not stop her. The tribunal ruled for deportation.
In 2011, Rodrigo Ibanez, a Chilean permanent resident who came to Canada as a toddler, joined a gang at 12 and accumulated a lengthy criminal record. A 1998 warning letter did not deter him; his ex-girlfriend even avoided pressing charges due to deportation fears. The tribunal also decided against letting him stay.
These examples demonstrate that stern warning letters are an insufficient measure for dealing with criminal permanent residents, allowing continued criminal activity and delaying necessary deportations.
