COLUMN: Do sanctuary schools really offer protection?

The Sea to Sky school board has been contemplating a sanctuary school policy, which I applaud for its good intentions, but I fear it may lull the people it promises to help into a false sense of security.

As a quick backgrounder, this policy would basically state that non-status residents of the area would be able to use the Sea to Sky district’s schools – including those in Squamish – without fear of being reported to immigration authorities.

The idea is that non-status residents would be able to attend school without fear of being hauled away and deported.

Non-status residents can refer to undocumented immigrants, temporary foreign workers, asylum seekers and anyone else who could be forced out of Canada with relative ease. The opposite of a non-status resident would be a citizen.

In March, the board held discussions about New Westminster’s sanctuary school policy, debating if it could be of use in the Squamish area.

Assuming you believe universal education is a right, and assuming there are people in the area who would benefit from this policy, it sounds great on paper.

But can this really help, given the district’s limited influence?

Because the federal government is in charge of immigration, it’s probable there’s little that Squamish, let alone its school district, can actually do to prevent non-status residents from being removed.

The Canada Border Services Agency has the power to issue warrants to detain or arrest people they deem inadmissible under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

And if they can’t get a warrant, they can get you anyway because the CBSA states “immigration law allows for the arrest and detention of foreign nationals without a warrant.”

It appears the only way to prevent immigration officials from coming into schools would be to disobey the Immigration Act. And it doesn’t seem like schools are willing to do that.

The New Westminster sanctuary school policy being examined here in Squamish states immigration officials will not be allowed to enter schools “unless required by law.”

But by default, it appears the law gives the CBSA free reign to detain whomever.

I applaud the board for considering this measure. I think it sends a strong message that we are an open, tolerant society and that all children deserve the right to learn.

However, I am concerned this policy will give false reassurance to those affected.

If this policy is adopted, it must be made clear to non-status residents that if the CBSA comes, we can’t protect them.