Canada’s Immigration Department says claiming asylum “cannot, and will not” prevent criminals being punished, after British Columbia’s premier criticized refugee claims by extortion suspects as “ludicrous.”

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says those who pose a risk to public safety or who commit crimes remain subject to enforcement action at all times. 

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Premier David Eby had criticized the system on Tuesday, saying that it was “ludicrous” that someone accused in an extortion-related shooting could claim refugee status to avoid being returned to India — the world’s largest democracy. 

He urged Parliament to quickly pass legislation that would close loopholes that he said prevented them from being ejected from the country while they await a refugee hearing. 

The Canada Border Services Agency said in December that 15 foreigners facing extortion charges had applied for refugee status in Canada.

A statement from the department on Wednesday says if someone is initially found eligible to make an asylum claim, but it is later discovered they may have committed a crime, their claim is put on hold while the case goes through the courts. 

It says Canada has international obligations around asylum seekers, but those found inadmissible on serious grounds are ordered removed. 

‘We have closed existing loopholes at the border, tightened the rules surrounding the granting of visas with stricter assessment criteria, and taken steps to discourage people from using asylum claims as a shortcut to immigration,” the statement from the Immigration Department says. 

It cites reforms in immigration Bill C-12 and borders Bill C-2 as “further action to prevent surges in asylum claims and misuse of the system.” “Both Bills are currently before Parliament. The legislative process is a critical function of Parliament and a bill must go through several stages before it can become law,” the statement says.

Also Wednesday, Eby announced that former Mountie Paul Dadwal will help police fight the extortion crimes as the chair of an advisory board that links the public with investigators. 

The premier said Dadwal knows how to fight crime because of his past roles with Surrey RCMP and the provincial anti-gang task force, and he can connect with the community because he is fluent in English and Punjabi. 

The announcement of the board comes after Eby said he was concerned about “inconsistent communications” between the community, the Surrey Police Service and the task force set up to fight the extortion problem. 

Speaking to South Asian media on Wednesday, Eby said police must immediately incorporate information received from the public into their investigations, and urgently address the concerns of community members who have been receiving threats.

The Surrey Police Service said it has been investigating 46 extortion incidents so far this year, while the task force said it has 32 active files across the Lower Mainland as of last month