Eloy Rivas Sanchez is a professor and spokesperson for Solidarity Across Borders.

Eloy understands the experience and difficulty of gaining status in Canada, which he says was an expensive pursuit and needed lots of support to do so.

Local 514 host Savanna Craig invited Eloy to discuss the exploitation of undocumented migrants in Montreal’s workforce and the experience of non-status people.

Eloy described how the curfew is putting more non-status people at risk of deportation during police checks, as a result, he said many undocumented workers are giving up their jobs that require them to work during the curfew. He discussed how deportations are continuing during the curfew, as last year there were 5,731 deportations from Quebec, with 4,470 of these deportations from Montreal alone. Deportations are still continuing during the pandemic. Eloy said that migrants often experience anxiety and constant fear of the threat of deportation, which he says some employers take advantage of, so that they can pay these workers less.

We also discuss the narrative of those who do not want immigrants in Canada, as Eloy says this is an unproductive narrative, as many of these migrants are escaping violence and persecution, in pursuit of a better life, often working in exploitation to contribute to Canada’s economy and establish a life here.

Eloy also discussed an event held in January by Solidarity Across Borders, where members of SAB and the Montreal community held a conversation and public dance to demand status for all and for the rights of undocumented people.

Parts of this interview was used towards the second episode of Local 514. To view the full episode, click here.