A recent Facebook post from a Canadian friend stopped me in my tracks. It wasn't the initial post so much as the comment thread it provoked鈥攃omments from fellow Canadians defending the U.S. detention and deportation of migrants, many of whom have no criminal record, with the familiar refrain: 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not a criminal, you have nothing to worry about.鈥� The original post was about Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand telling CTV News that approximately 55 Canadians have been detained by ICE.
What they鈥檙e really saying is 鈥淚f you鈥檙e white and not a criminal, you have nothing to worry about.鈥� Racialized individuals are disproportionately targeted for detention and deportation compared to white people.
One commenter confidently stated that if you鈥檙e not a criminal, travel won鈥檛 be a problem. Another doubled down by praising U.S. law enforcement for 鈥渃leaning up鈥� criminals and implied that such efforts are good for Canada too. The assumption running beneath it all was clear: if people are being detained or deported, they must have done something to deserve it.
This isn鈥檛 just about border policies. It鈥檚 about the growing number of Canadians willing to endorse Trump-era immigration tactics鈥攖actics that abandon due process and blur the line between undocumented status and criminality. In one comment, a user claimed that most deportations don鈥檛 even require a criminal record and dismissed any concern over rights violations. The conversation wasn鈥檛 taking place in some fringe political group鈥攊t was among friends and acquaintances, people I鈥檝e known and respected. And yet, here they were, giving cover to a system that increasingly disregards the presumption of innocence, even for fellow Canadians detained without explanation.
While Canadians cheerlead this erosion of rights abroad, countries around the world are issuing travel advisories warning their citizens about entering the United States. Canada, Germany, France, Denmark, Finland, the UK, Ireland, Portugal, and Belgium have all updated their guidance to reflect growing concerns. Some cite increased risk of arbitrary detention, police violence, civil unrest, and legal uncertainty鈥攑articularly for 2SLGBTQIA+ people, racial minorities, and activists. The U.S. once advised its citizens to steer clear of unstable regimes. Now, democratic allies are turning that warning back on America.
At the same time, Canada has issued its own travel advisories for the U.S., referencing new anti-trans laws, changes in passport policies, and concerns about unpredictable border enforcement. For example, there have been reports of Canadian travelers鈥攕ome dual citizens鈥攂eing detained without cause, and of cell phones being searched for political affiliation or social media posts. What鈥檚 chilling is not just that these things are happening, but that so many Canadians are now fine with it.
Why are we, as Canadians, so willing to support a political movement in the U.S. that so openly disrespects civil liberties and due process? Some may see it as a necessary trade-off for border security, but that鈥檚 a false bargain. Others seem captivated by the performative strength of authoritarian leadership, mistaking cruelty for order. And some, frankly, are just not worried鈥攂ecause they think they鈥檙e not the ones who will be affected. It鈥檚 the luxury of privilege to believe that the system will only ever come for someone else.
Applauding these measures abroad erodes our own national values. When Canadians align themselves with Trump-style governance, they don鈥檛 just support another country鈥檚 slide into authoritarianism鈥攖hey invite that ideology into our own politics. They chip away at Canadian sovereignty by accepting foreign detention of our citizens without protest. They lay the groundwork for a future in which the presumption of innocence, once a pillar of our legal system, is seen as optional or outdated.
Canada鈥檚 current travel advisories aren鈥檛 just boilerplate bureaucratic notices鈥攖hey are a reflection of real fears and political reality. And they ought to be a wake-up call. We cannot pretend to defend democracy at home while excusing the destruction of it next door. If we cheer for the erosion of civil rights across the border, we shouldn鈥檛 be surprised when those cracks appear in our own.
There is a difference between immigration enforcement and political persecution. Between due process and arbitrary power. Between justice and fear. When Canadians stop recognizing that difference, we don鈥檛 just lose sight of what鈥檚 happening in the U.S.鈥攚e start losing sight of who we are.
鈥� Dr Wilbur Turner
- Dr. Wilbur Turner
~ Wilbur Turner is a political strategist and community advocate based in 麻豆精选, British Columbia, with deep roots in Alberta. With experience on the ground in federal and municipal campaigns, and a passion for civic engagement, Turner offers sharp, accessible insight into the political and social issues shaping our region and country. He was selected by the University of British Columbia for an Honorary Doctor of Laws for his significant contribution to the community. He also writes articles as QueerGranddad on Substack.
