Canadians organization preparing to take Citizenship and Immigration Canada to court
for ignoring marriage fraud

On Feb. 05, 2007, we wrote a story of Saranjeet Singh Benet, a Candian citizen who went to India to merry a Punjabi Sikh girl in 2003. She hardly stayed with him few weeks and went to the Local Police Station and lodged a report........Read More

Saranjeet's father Sam Benet became very upset and formed "Canadians Against Immigration Fraud" nonprofit organization registered under provincial laws with the Government of Ontario, Canada with the help of other victims to get the Federal Government to acknowledge and enforce the existing legislation that is enshrined in the Immigration Act and the Immigration and Refugee Board Act and to put a stop to this abuse.

Read Below:

Foreigners wed, then fled
Feds ignoring marriage fraud for Canadian status, group says

Toronto, May 28, 2008
Toronnto Sun
By AJIT JAIN

Canadians Against Immigration Fraud, a Toronto-based organization, is preparing to take Citizenship and Immigration Canada to court over CIC's alleged failure to go after spouses from other countries who commit marriage fraud on Canadians.

Section 4 of the Immigration Refugee Protection Act clearly provides "a foreign national shall not be considered a spouse of a person if the marriage is not genuine and was entered into primarily for the purpose of acquiring any status or privilege under the act."

CAIF president Sam Benet cites the case of his own son, Saranjeet Singh Benet, now 32, who got married in India (in an arranged marriage) in November 2003. The bride finally came to Canada in December 2006 but, Benet says, "she went straight to her parents' place and decided not to come to us.

"She's seeking divorce but my son wants annulment of the marriage as it was never consummated."

CAIF has received more than 100 complaints from alleged Canadian victims. Most of their stories are similar.

One man wrote: "My belief is that my wife ... with bad intent, made a marriage to me to obtain Canadian citizenship."

Another from Mississauga complains his wife "used marriage to false pretense and scammed me and (the) government for money. Soon after arriving here she started harassing me emotionally, saying she came here just to obtain permanent residence in Canada.

"She separated from me within a few months and claimed social assistance."

Many victims are demanding CIC go after those who are committing marriage fraud but nobody seems to be listening, Benet says.

Shah Moayedi, a computer specialist from Iran, is on the executive of CAIF. "I went abroad and got married," he says. "I sponsored my wife. She came here and a few days after she just vanished ... When I called her parents saying she's missing, they said 'don't be naive'. "

Fraud is a criminal activity, Moayedi argues, and so he is baffled that despite a large number of complaints, CIC "hasn't taken any action."

Benet chimes in: "This woman who married my son is collecting welfare cheques and that has left us on the hook."

Benet says nobody from the government has "called us as to why we are not supporting her under the sponsorship clause."

Sponsors are ultimately legally and financially responsible for their sponsorship undertakings, CIC has told Benet and others. Sponsorship is a legally binding commitment that may not be cancelled, regardless of whether a relationship breaks down.

QUESTION PURSUED

Liberal MP Roy Cullen, who represents Etobicoke North, has pursued this question of marriage frauds with both former immigration minister Monte Solberg and current department head Diane Finley.

"Relationships of convenience are specifically prohibited in Section 4 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations," Finley recently advised Cullen. "CIC officers have systems and tools to detect and deal with fraudulent applications."

But Benet says, "No action is being taken against these people who perpetrate the marriage fraud."

He raised the threat of terrorism in a recent letter to Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day.

"It is very much possible for a terrorist to enter Canada, through (such) a marriage ... knowing that the Canadian government does very little or nothing on immigration marriage fraud cases," Benet wrote.

"Canada Border Services Agency's first priority is to remove those individuals who are a threat to Canada's security, followed by those with a criminal element, and then all other non-criminal cases," Day responded.

"Canadians from many different cultural backgrounds are affected by this epidemic (of marriage fraud)," Benet says. "Due to the inaction by CIC and CBSA, these unscrupulous people are playing with the emotions and lives of many innocent Canadians."

CAIF held a demonstration in Ottawa last November and are organizing one for July 6 in Toronto. "After that we will go to the court challenging CIC under Section 4," Benet says.

"If CIC takes action against a few people who have perpetrated marriage frauds, the news will spread widely that will serve as a deterrent for many of these unscrupulous people who prey on many innocent people."

Cullen has an interesting suggestion: Foreign spouses should be issued a temporary visa for 2-3 years. If, after this period has elapsed, they are still living in marital status, the foreign spouse will then be eligible for a permanent visa.

By Sam Benet -http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/05/28/5689511-sun.html

• NRI marriage