Separated: how an immigration system pushed to its limits is keeping refugee families apart

Storylines

It’s been 12 years since Widlene has seen her son. She had to leave the little boy in Haiti with family after she was targeted by gang members. The plan was to get out, find somewhere safe, make a home there, and have her son join her. So when she was granted asylum in Canada, Widlene believed her fight would be over.

Instead, it was only just beginning. Asylum seekers are supposed to be able to bring their dependent children to Canada once their claim has been approved. But critics say some of the most vulnerable family members are facing the longest delays.

This week on Storylines, Craig Desson follows Widlene as she and her lawyer navigate a complicated immigration bureaucracy that’s processing a record number of applications. All while Widlene tries to keep her son safe from a world away.