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An Indian family that had spent over eight years in Quebec, Canada, has been deported after their refugee claim and humanitarian appeals to remain in the country were rejected.

The family—comprising Harish Kumar, his wife Sonika, and their two sons, Japesh and Gaulash—arrived in India by flight on September 7.

Expressing his anguish right before setting off for India, 14-year-old Japesh said, “I grew up here. My friends are here… I have nothing in India.” His 12-year-old brother, Gaulash, also faced the prospect of starting life from scratch in a new country that was unfamiliar.

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Meanwhile, the Immigrant Workers Centre, an organisation advocating for migrant rights, has condemned the deportation. Highlighting that Harish worked continuously as a truck driver during the COVID-19 pandemic, it said, “When Canada’s economy needed their labour, they were hailed as ‘essential workers.’ Yet, once the crisis passed, their years of service and the taxes they paid could not shield them from deportation. This exemplifies the cruelty of an immigration system that treats migrant workers’ lives as temporary and disposable.”

Canadian immigration officials said that deportation decisions are implemented only after all legal avenues have been exhausted. According to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) regulations, once a deportation order comes into effect, the individuals must be sent back as soon as possible.

Earlier, Harish ran a small grocery store in the city of Goraya, Punjab. He allegedly refused demands for money made by certain political factions during an election campaign, which led to his illegal arrest over a fabricated dispute. He said he fled to Canada in April 2018 to seek asylum out of fear for his life.