Page 26 - The Indian EYE 012822

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 21, 2022 | The Indian Eye 26

Four of a family freeze to death while trying

to cross US border from Canada

OUR BUREAU
Toronto

our members presumed to be
from one Indian family were
Ffound frozen to death on the
United States-Canada border on
Thursday, drawing attention to il-
legal Indian immigration in harsh
American winter from the northern
border, at a time when US focus cen-
tres largely on its southern border
with Mexico.
The family comprising of a man,
a woman, a teen and an infant, all
yet to be identified, were report-
ed to have been separated from a
larger group of Indians who made
it across the border in temperatures
that reached minus 35 degrees Cel-
sius. Their bodies were found within
metres of the US border on the Ca-
nadian side.
In court documents filed in Min-
nesota, the nearest jurisdiction to
the tragedy, authorities said the US
border patrol had stopped a white, travelling to Manitoba to aid in the bina, North Dakota, they found two In preparation for their journey,
15-passenger van driven by a Florida investigation. India’s ambassador to Indian nationals with Shand and the group were wearing brand-new
resident named Steve Shand — de- the United States said staff from the later intercepted a group of five. All winter clothing, including parkas,
scribed as a suspected smuggler of Chicago consulate were also heading spoke Gujarati, a language from the boots and gloves. They, along with
undocumented foreign nationals — to Minnesota. western region of the country. One Shand, had black balaclavas. Offi-
less than a mile, south of the border US officials announced the told officials he spent a large amount cers also found evidence to suggest
in a rural area. Two passengers were arrest of Steve Shand, who faces of money to come to Canada under a a baby was travelling with the group,
determined to be undocumented In- charges of human smuggling. Shand, fake student visa and planned to visit but when they couldn’t find the child,
dian nationals. 47, is due to appear in court on 24 an uncle in Chicago. they notified Canadian police.
The death of four members of January.
an Indian family at the US-Canada “The investigation into the
border has once again highlighted death of the four individuals in Can-
the dangerous journeys families are ada is ongoing along with an inves-
willing to risk for a better life – and tigation into a larger human smug-
the groups that profit from their des- gling operation of which Shand is
peration. suspected of being a part,” said John
“It was an absolutely mind-blow- Stanley, a special agent with Home-
ing story. It’s so tragic to see a family land Security Investigations, in court
die like that, victims of human traf- documents.
fickers … and of people who took On Wednesday, investigators
advantage of their desire to build a from the US Department of Home-
better life,” Canadian prime minis- land Security acted on a tip from
ter Justin Trudeau told reporters on a snowplow driver, who spotted
Friday. Shand’s van stuck in a ditch during
“This is why we are doing all we the blizzard, according to court doc-
can to discourage people from cross- uments.
ing the border in an irregular or illic- The driver helped Shand free
it manner. We know there are great the vehicle, and Shand said he was
risks in doing so.” bound for Winnipeg to visit relatives.
India’s high commissioner to Authorities say it was the second
Canada, Ajay Bisaria, described the time he had been in the area.
deaths as a “grave tragedy”, and an- When the officers stopped the
nounced that a consular team was car, near the border crossing at Pem-

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