MIGRATION
INTELLIGENCE
Information, assessment
& mitigation
February 2012
INTRODUCTION
• Presentation Outline:
 An explanation of Canada’s immigration
intelligence network
 An immigration intelligence case study:
migrant vessel prevention operations
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Immigration Intelligence
 What is it?
The identification and assessment of threats to the integrity of Canada's
immigration, visitor, refugee, and citizenship programs and to public
safety and national security
 Who does it?
 Three-tiered network:
 Regional: local offices of Canada’s law enforcement and
intelligence agencies
 National: HQ intelligence branches
 International: Liaison officers posted abroad
 What does it do?
 Assists to mitigate risks associated with security, terrorism, organized
crime
 Promotes interoperability and information sharing in the wider
intelligence and law enforcement community
MIGRANT VESSELS:
An immigration intelligence case study
 Canada has experienced the arrival of two marine migrant
smuggling vessels (October 2009 and August 2010)
 Before the arrivals of the MVs Ocean Lady and Sun Sea,
the last significant maritime entry was approximately 600
migrants and asylum seekers from Fujian Province, China
in 1999.
MIGRANT VESSELS CONT’D
Goals
 Prevent marine smuggling operations overseas
 Prosecute those responsible for planning,
organising & facilitating the MV’s Ocean Lady &
Sun Sea
 Dismantle the international criminal network
orchestrating human smuggling operations, in
Canada & abroad.
MIGRANT VESSELS CONT’D
Intelligence Objectives
Strategic: identify developing trends
Operational: identify geographic areas of
concern
Tactical: identify organizers
MIGRANT VESSELS CONT’D
 Actions:
 Expansion of traditional overseas networks focus to
developing relationships in the marine mode with border and
immigration partners in identified countries of interest
 QUESTIONS?