Bill Whatcott detained by ICE after fleeing Canada

Canadian Christian activist Bill Whatcott is currently being held in an ICE detention facility in Tacoma, Washington, while awaiting extradition to Canada. Whatcott fled to the United States to seek political asylum following a Canadian conviction for the “wilful promotion of hatred.”

The conviction stems from the distribution of flyers during a Toronto Pride event approximately ten years ago. While Whatcott was scheduled to remain free until a sentencing hearing on December 16, he was ordered to surrender his passport within 24 hours.

Whatcott crossed into the U.S. before the passport surrender deadline had expired. He was subsequently detained at the Sweetgrass border facility and has since been transferred to the Northwest ICE Processing Center. Supporters claim his actions constitute protected speech under U.S. law and characterize the legal proceedings in Canada as an attempt to punish religious and political dissent.