Amnesty International is calling on Ottawa to expand free legal aid for illegal immigrants and refugee claimants even as federal courts warn their dockets are already swamped with immigration cases.Blacklock's Reporter said in a submission to the Commons finance committee, the group urged Parliament to make Legal Aid funding for migrants “a moral and political instrument” that guarantees services nationwide. “Budget 2025 must move beyond technocratic economic planning,” Amnesty wrote. “It must centre on dignity, justice, human rights and well-being of all peoples.”Amnesty gave no cost estimate, but taxpayers already cover ballooning expenses. A Justice Department memo confirmed funding for immigration and refugee legal aid rose 378% in recent years, from $11.5 million to $55 million annually. .The federal government pays legal bills for immigration claimants in every province except Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island.Meanwhile, the Federal Courts Administration Service reported immigration filings have quadrupled since 2017, from 5,572 to 24,784 cases a year. The backlog has grown so severe managers warned it is impacting Canadians with business before the courts. The agency’s annual budget is $84.7 million.Amnesty has also pressed Canada to welcome more asylum seekers who cross through the United States, arguing Washington is not a “safe country” for refugees. “We are calling on Canada to respect that principle,” said Amnesty secretary general Agnès Callamard.The U.S. currently has 10.9 million illegal immigrants, according to Homeland Security statistics, including roughly 750,000 in border states such as New York and Washington.
