“Most countries have a ‘presumptive period’ – a period of time that a person without immigration status can be held in jail in order to deport them,” says Toronto immigration consultant Macdonald Scott. “In the U.S. this is ninety days, with the possibility of a 90 day extension. But in Canada, there is no presumptive period - in other words - no limit to how long a person can be held in a immigration detention centre.”