The Immigration Department has barred just one member of the controversial Irish hip-hop group Kneecap from entering Canada, as per a statement provided to CBC News. This contradicts an earlier statement made by a Liberal MP claiming that none of the group members would be allowed entry into the country. This marks the first time that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has addressed the situation involving the three individuals, following a social media video by Vince Gasparro, parliamentary secretary for combatting crime, where he announced that the Kneecap members were ineligible to enter Canada due to their alleged support for organizations listed as terrorist groups in Canada.
Following Gasparro’s video, discussions regarding the case of the band members were avoided by Immigration Minister Lena Diab, IRCC, and other related departments citing privacy concerns. However, an update was provided by the IRCC after each band member consented to revealing their immigration status to CBC News. According to the IRCC, all band members had secured electronic travel authorizations (eTAs) to travel to Canada, valid until 2029. The eTA of one member, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, also known as Mo Chara, was revoked in August due to incomplete and inaccurate information on his application, while facing a terror-related charge in the UK, which was later dismissed by a London court in September.
The status of the other two members, James John O Dochartaigh and Naoise O Caireallain, is currently under review, with instructions given in September to refrain from traveling to Canada until further communication from IRCC. Kneecap had to cancel their scheduled performances in Toronto and Vancouver in October, and had previously canceled 15 shows in the U.S. The band’s manager, Dan Lambert, mentioned that following Gasparro’s video, no formal communication was received by the band members regarding their immigration status, besides the video itself.
Lambert also highlighted that the IRCC’s claim of incomplete information in Ó hAnnaidh’s eTA could not be linked to the rejected court case, as the application was submitted prior to the legal proceedings.
