Parents forced to choose which of them will be deported and who will remain with their children. A breastfeeding mother detained for weeks without her newborn. A young father — the breadwinner of his family — facing separation from his baby who has heart problems.

Refugee advocates say they are seeing a new trend of deportation proceedings involving parents whose spouses or children are allowed to remain in Canada. They say the pattern appears to be concentrated in Quebec, where the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) seems to be focusing its removal efforts — 55 per cent of all deportations in Canada took place in the province in the first four months of 2026.