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Table of contents
1. Lawyer accused of coaching clients to lie; Immigration fraud...................................................................... 1

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Lawyer accused of coaching clients to lie; Immigration fraud

Author: Bell, Stewart Publication info: National Post [Don Mills, Ont] 31 Mar 2012: A.4. ProQuest document link Abstract: The arrests followed a two-month investigation into allegations they had advised foreign nationals "to make refugee eligibility claims based on fraudulent stories," the RCMP said in a statement. Links: Linking Service Full text: On the website of her Windsor, Ont., immigration law firm, Sandra Zaher is described as "committed to helping foreigners to immigrate." But on Friday she was accused of crossing the line. The RCMP said the immigration lawyer and her assistant had been arrested for allegedly coaching asylum seekers to give fake accounts to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Ms. Zaher and Diana Al-Masalkhi were charged with misrepresentation, counseling misrepresentation and fabricating evidence. They were scheduled to appear in court on April 26. The arrests followed a two-month investigation into allegations they had advised foreign nationals "to make refugee eligibility claims based on fraudulent stories," the RCMP said in a statement. Police would not say how many would-be refugees were allegedly encouraged to bolster their claims by lying. Those who misrepresented their pasts could ultimately be deported. The government said it would ask the IRB to revoke any refugee claims that were accepted as a result of misrepresentation. "Our intent is to apply the full strength of Canadian law, and where evidence permits to seek revocation of status and removal from Canada," said Remi Lariviere, a Citizenship and Immigration Canada spokesman. Jason Kenney, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, has made cleaning up Canada's immigration system a priority for his department. In December, he said the government was revoking the citizenship of more than 2,000 immigrants who had become Canadians through fraud. "Canadians are generous people, but we have no tolerance or patience for people who don't play by the rules and who lie and cheat to become a Canadian citizen," said the Minister, who blamed "unscrupulous" immigration consultants. As recently as two years ago, Ms. Zaher had also criticized immigration consultants for telling clients to fabricate stories. In a Windsor Star article about a woman whose legal adviser had encouraged her to lie to the refugee board, Ms. Zaher complained that such practices were "rampant." "It's ironic because a lot of these consultants also come from immigrant backgrounds," the article quoted her saying. "And you would think that they would be a little more sympathetic, but they're not. They're unethical, they're greedy, it's all about money." Ms. Zaher was "born to Italian immigrant parents and married an Arabic physician," according to the Zaher Immigration Law Firm website. It says she has a PhD from the University of Toronto. "She wishes to use her multicultural background and education to serve the needs of refugees, students, federal skilled workers and other classes of immigrants in achieving their goals," it says. Among her clients was a former Guatemalan army officer who admitted to killing more than 60 people and torturing countless others before moving to Leamington, Ont. He was deported for war crimes in 2007. The Zaher law firm has "affiliated offices" in Syria, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, its website says. A review of her cases in the Federal Court shows her clientele include citizens of Yemen, Iraq, Panama, Nigeria, Mexico and particularly Lebanon. "If you are thinking of immigrating or visiting Canada or the U.S., the Zaher Immigration Law Firm will be more than happy to assist you," the website says.

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sbell@nationalpost.com Credit: Stewart Bell; National Post Subject: Aliens; Citizenship; Immigration policy; Publication title: National Post First page: A.4 Publication year: 2012 Publication date: Mar 31, 2012 Year: 2012 Section: Canada Publisher: Infomart, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Place of publication: Don Mills, Ont. Country of publication: Canada Publication subject: Business And Economics--Banking And Finance ISSN: 14868008 Source type: Newspapers Language of publication: English Document type: News ProQuest document ID: 963601511 Document URL: http://search.proquest.com/docview/963601511?accountid=11530 Copyright: Copyright CanWest Digital Media Mar 31, 2012 Last updated: 2012-04-03 Database: Canadian Newsstand Major Dailies

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