Immigrants who illegally cross the Saskatchewan border will no longer be detained in Saskatchewan.

Policing and Public Safety Minister Christine Tell announced and provided notice to the federal government that Saskatchewan is ending its agreement to hold immigration detainees for the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA).

“We have reviewed the existing agreement and, after careful consideration, determined it is no longer consistent with the goals we want to achieve in Saskatchewan correctional facilities,” says Tell.

There were 16 individuals in Saskatchewan correctional centres on an immigration hold in 2022, 14 in 2021, 19 in 2020, and 23 in 2019.

The decision was made based on the review of responsibilities upheld by Saskatchewan’s correctional operations and not based on spacing or monetary issues.

“After careful consideration, we don’t really believe that the provincial correctional system has a role to play in instances where someone is held solely for matters related to the Immigration and Refugee Act. Corrections’ primary responsibility is to provide custody supervision and rehabilitation services for adult and young offenders in the province and holding immigration detainees wasn’t consistent with that responsibility,” says Noel Busse with Corrections, Policing, and Public Safety.

However, Saskatchewan will continue to hold non-Canadian citizens who have criminal charges until those matters have been concluded.

The province originally signed the existing memorandum of understanding to detain illegal immigrants in 1994.

The agreement will officially end on September 30 of this year.

Saskatchewan is working with CBSA to develop a safe and effective transition plan.