US embassy cable - 03ACCRA592

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 000592 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR PRM, GENEVA FOR RMA, ROME FOR DHS, ABIDJAN AND 
NAIROBI FOR REFCOORDS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/25/2013 
TAGS: GH, PREF, refugees 
SUBJECT: ACCRA CANADIAN REP VOICES INTEREST IN TAKING 
DENIED REFUGEES FOR ADMISSIONS 
 
Classified By: Refugee Coordinator Carla T. Nadeau for Reasons 1.5 (b) 
and (d) 
 
1.  (C)  This is an action request, see paragraph 5. 
 
2.  (C)  Summary: Regional Refugee Coordinator (Refcoord) for 
Admissions, Carla Nadeau met with Canadian High Commission 
Immigration Officer Elizabeth Snow to discuss refugee 
admissions issues in West Africa. Snow voiced interest in 
reviewing Refugee Access Verification Unit (RAVU) revoked 
and/or denied U.S. Refugee Program (USRP) priority three 
(P-3) cases.  Upon review, the Canadians would consider some 
for eventual admission to the Canadian refugee program. 
Asked whether the possibility existed to share information on 
the reason for revocation/denial, Snow stated fraudulent 
relationships would not necessarily rule applicants out. 
Refcoord promised to convey request to Washington.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  Refcoord paid a courtesy call on Elizabeth Snow of 
the Canadian High Commission to discuss refugee issues in 
West Africa.  Following background discussion, Snow explained 
that due to heavy domestic political pressure, she had been 
given a message to quote shake the trees unquote to find more 
numbers for the refugee resettlement program in Canada.  With 
a world wide ceiling of 7,300 of which 400 are slated for W. 
African admissions, Canada expects at the current rate to 
come up quite short for the admissions year which ends in 
December.  Commiserating that UNHCR Priority one (P-1) 
referrals were slow in coming, Snow asked whether the USG 
would be interested in sharing information on RAVU 
revoked/denied P-3 cases.  Not promising large scale 
resettlement, Snow opined that after reviewing a sampling of 
cases and disregarding relationship fraud, as opposed to 
direct misrepresentation, the Canadians could possibly 
resettle some 1,000 of the USRP's W. African P-3 caseload. 
Refcoord promised Snow that her proposal would be conveyed to 
the appropriate figures in the USG. 
 
3.  (C) Comment: It appears that the U.S. is not the only 
country experiencing domestic political pressure to increase 
refugee arrivals.  At first glance, sharing case file 
information under current MOU's with Canada with the aim of 
eventually resettling this caseload may be a good opportunity 
to burden-share with our neighbor.  However, given that this 
P-3 caseload in W. Africa is anchor-based, albeit often 
fraudulently so, the USG may eventually have to contend with 
the effects of secondary migration. 
 
4.  (C) Action Request: Post requests Department guidance on 
the Canadian proposal to share information on RAVU 
denied/revoked P-3 cases for possible resettlement in Canada. 
YATES