ACCRA CANADIAN REP VOICES INTEREST IN TAKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000592

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PRM, GENEVA FOR RMA, ROME FOR DHS, ABIDJAN AND
NAIROBI FOR REFCOORDS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013
TAGS: GH PREF
SUBJECT: ACCRA CANADIAN REP VOICES INTEREST IN TAKING
DENIED REFUGEES FOR ADMISSIONS

Classified By: Refugee Coordinator Carla T. Nadeau for Reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d)


1. (C) This is an action request, see paragraph 5.


2. (C) Summary: Regional Refugee Coordinator (Refcoord) for
Admissions, Carla Nadeau met with Canadian High Commission
Immigration Officer Elizabeth Snow to discuss refugee
admissions issues in West Africa. Snow voiced interest in
reviewing Refugee Access Verification Unit (RAVU) revoked
and/or denied U.S. Refugee Program (USRP) priority three
(P-3) cases. Upon review, the Canadians would consider some
for eventual admission to the Canadian refugee program.
Asked whether the possibility existed to share information on
the reason for revocation/denial, Snow stated fraudulent
relationships would not necessarily rule applicants out.
Refcoord promised to convey request to Washington. End
Summary.


2. (C) Refcoord paid a courtesy call on Elizabeth Snow of
the Canadian High Commission to discuss refugee issues in
West Africa. Following background discussion, Snow explained
that due to heavy domestic political pressure, she had been
given a message to quote shake the trees unquote to find more
numbers for the refugee resettlement program in Canada. With
a world wide ceiling of 7,300 of which 400 are slated for W.
African admissions, Canada expects at the current rate to
come up quite short for the admissions year which ends in
December. Commiserating that UNHCR Priority one (P-1)
referrals were slow in coming, Snow asked whether the USG
would be interested in sharing information on RAVU
revoked/denied P-3 cases. Not promising large scale
resettlement, Snow opined that after reviewing a sampling of
cases and disregarding relationship fraud, as opposed to
direct misrepresentation, the Canadians could possibly
resettle some 1,000 of the USRP's W. African P-3 caseload.
Refcoord promised Snow that her proposal would be conveyed to
the appropriate figures in the USG.


3. (C) Comment: It appears that the U.S. is not the only
country experiencing domestic political pressure to increase
refugee arrivals. At first glance, sharing case file
information under current MOU's with Canada with the aim of
eventually resettling this caseload may be a good opportunity
to burden-share with our neighbor. However, given that this
P-3 caseload in W. Africa is anchor-based, albeit often
fraudulently so, the USG may eventually have to contend with
the effects of secondary migration.


4. (C) Action Request: Post requests Department guidance on
the Canadian proposal to share information on RAVU
denied/revoked P-3 cases for possible resettlement in Canada.
YATES