Canada must say no to ICE authoritarianism

Winnipeg Centre

In recent weeks, we’ve seen two different reactions from Canada concerning U.S. President Donald Trump’s mass deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement paramilitaries in Minnesota. From community members and grassroots leaders, I’ve heard clear messages condemning the paramilitary force and authoritarian aggression by ICE. Meanwhile, countless government officials remain silent, appearing unconcerned that our closest neighbour is embracing fascist authoritarianism.

In Winnipeg, we’re only an eight-hour drive away from Minneapolis, where this brutality is taking place. Through news broadcasts and internet feeds, we’ve witnessed Minnesota’s residents terrorized by masked ICE paramilitaries while the Trump administration has defied calls from the mayor of Minneapolis and countless leaders across the United States. Minnesotans have risen in opposition, with more than 50,000 protesting in the streets, fighting for civil rights. We’ve watched ICE apprehend children, harass residents, attack and even kill without consequence – particularly targeting people of colour – with impunity condoned by the White House. We’ve seen the Trump administration block investigations and obstruct justice for those shot and killed by ICE, including Silverio Villegas González, Isaias Sanchez Barboza, Keith Porter, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, along with the many others killed in ICE custody, and the abuses no one has seen.

Trump’s reckless and dangerous leadership is no news to Canada, given his repeated threats to our sovereignty and destruction of workers’ livelihoods through senseless tariffs. But more recently, his speeches to world leaders have indicated he has a farther-reaching goal – promoting authoritarianism across the globe and undermining fundamental human rights and international law.

While this development should shock every Canadian leader into action, our government officials have largely been mute. When we look back at the policies they’ve pushed in recent memory, it’s clear that many have already adopted Trump’s playbook. The Liberal government ended 2025 by joining the Conservatives to fast-track Bill C-12, which violates international conventions, of which Canada is a signatory, protecting migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. Bill C-12 also grants new surveillance powers to border security, and reinforces the Safe Third Country Agreement that neglects the grave human rights abuses by the U.S. against migrants.

We’ve learned that several Canadian companies are directly selling arms or providing logistical support to ICE, and that several ICE offices are currently operating across Canada. We must ask: why is the Liberal government supporting ICE’s paramilitary policing abroad and letting billionaires profit? While pretending the U.S. remains compliant with international law through the Safe Third Country Agreement, the Liberals are actively enabling authoritarianism in the U.S.

I’ve felt hope seeing the bravery of progressive leaders and mass movements, many of whom are risking their lives defending democracy and resisting the rise of fascism. In Canada, I’ve proudly stood by my colleague MP Jenny Kwan whose No More Loopholes Act would stop unregulated Canadian weapons sales from flowing to ICE paramilitaries. Our leaders have no excuse for failing to adopt measures to uphold international law.

We are now at a critical point in history, and we must rise to the moment. Let us not look back at this time, and wish we did more to protect humanity and democracy before it was too late.