Over a dozen members of the Laval police force stood guard in front of the city’s immigration detention centre as a sit-in took place in support of Lucy Francineth Granados, who was scheduled to be deported later in the day.
As the sit-in ended, Granados was reportedly driven to the airport to be deported.
On Thursday, a federal court denied Granados, an undocumented resident of Montrea, a stay of removal.
Following the ruling, Laval police spokesperson Sgt. Genevieve Major said the deportation could take place at any time.
She confirmed that Granados left the detention center where she was being held, but could not say whether she boarded a plane bound for Guatemala.
Major said the protest in front of the detention centre was peaceful, but added that some demonstrators were masked, causing concern for police.
Granados, 42, is a single mother of three who has lived in Montreal for nine years. She had asked the federal court to allow her to stay in Canada for humanitarian reasons, arguing that she was forced to flee Guatemala due to threats from a criminal gang.
Since arriving in Canada in 2009, Granados has provided financial support for her children and family in Central America.
Mary Foster, a worker with Solidarity Across Borders and a longtime supporter of Granados, contacted The Canadian Press and said that "Lucy was deported Friday morning at 9:15 a.m., according to the CBSA.
The group also posted the following message on their Facebook page:
Canadian Border Services Agency could not be reached for comment.
