Does Canada Have an Agency Like ICE?

Does Canada Have an Agency Like ICE?

Many people worry that Canada enforces immigration the same way the U.S. does, with ICE-style raids and aggressive interior policing. In reality, Canada’s system is very different. CBSA officers do not conduct large-scale armed operations like those seen in U.S. cities, and enforcement focuses on compliance, detention, and removals within the law.

This explainer clears up the confusion and shows how undocumented people are treated under Canadian immigration law.

What Is the ICE Equivalent in Canada

Canada does not have an agency called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but it does have a functional equivalent in the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). CBSA is responsible for enforcing immigration law both at the border and inside the country, including investigating immigration violations, detaining people without legal status, and carrying out removals and deportations.

In the United States, these roles are split. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) manages land borders, airports, and seaports, screening people and goods and operating the Border Patrol, while ICE handles interior enforcement, including arrests, detention, and deportations away from the border.

Canada does not divide these functions. CBSA manages both border and inland enforcement, working at ports of entry and throughout the country as its immigration enforcement agency, rather than creating separate agencies for different parts of the job. CBSA’s operations focus on compliance, detention, and removals rather than large‑scale armed raids.

What Happens to Undocumented People in Canada

Being undocumented in Canada is not a criminal offence. It is a civil matter under immigration law. Most people lose legal status by overstaying a visa, work or study permit, or after a failed refugee claim when they do not leave the country.

If authorities discover someone is undocumented, CBSA may issue a removal order. Some are given time to leave voluntarily, while others may face detention or arrest.

Immigration detention is used selectively. People may be detained if there are concerns about identity, the risk of not appearing for proceedings, or public safety. All detention decisions are reviewed regularly by the Immigration and Refugee Board, an independent administrative tribunal.

Have Canadian Border Agencies Been Involved in Fatal Incidents

There are no documented cases of Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers killing anyone during enforcement actions in Canada.

CBSA officers have the authority to detain and arrest and can use force if necessary, but fatal incidents are extremely rare. Most enforcement is conducted inland or at ports of entry, relying on compliance, voluntary departures, and collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police rather than armed confrontations.

Enforcement operations with a serious risk of harm are usually supported by the RCMP, which follows strict use-of-force protocols.

Why Canada's System Looks Different

Canada’s immigration enforcement operates with less public visibility and political intensity than in the United States. There are no separate border patrol and interior enforcement agencies, and large-scale public raids are rare.

That does not mean enforcement is absent. CBSA has broad authority, including arrest, detention, and deportation powers. The key difference is how these powers are organized and how visibly they are applied.