Kemo Montique (centre), is pictured with friends at a restaurant. The 27 year old has lived in Canada since 2007. (Submitted by Kemo Montique)
“They’ve done the right thing here,” said Kingwell. But he said it was confusing why the application was rejected in the first place. He has requested the IRCC send its reasons for rejecting the application, but he hasn’t received them.
The IRCC reiterated what it said last week: that it an’t comment on specific cases due to privacy legislation.
Last week, the IRCC also said any decisions to remove an individual from Canada is not done so “lightly.”
However, the deferral of the deportation is a “big turning point” in the case, said Kingwell.
“Better late than never,” he said. “The fact they’ve agreed to reopen it and stop his removal, hopefully he’s home-free at this point, but we will see.”
While optimistic, Montique said he doesn’t feel he’s out of the woods yet.
“I feel a bit overwhelmed,” said Montique. The IRCC’s decision to re-examine ordering his deportation has made him feel the initial order was arbitrarily made.
“I’m very disappointed they can’t give a straight reason of why it was refused,” he said. “I just feel like the application was taken very lightly.”
Last week, Kingwell and Adrienne Smith, a Toronto immigration lawyer, told CBC Toronto that Montique’s case raises larger concerns about consistency, especially when a single member of an entire family was rejected.
Montique’s family applied for permanent residency together while he applied separately due to poor advice from an immigration consultant, Montique had said.