Myth vs. Reality: Foreign Workers in Ontario and Deportations in America

In this episode of Me, Myself, and AI, we tackle two big myths that keep circling in conversations about immigration.

First, we look at Peterborough, Ontario, where people worry that “foreign workers are taking all the jobs.” The truth? Companies don’t get kickbacks for hiring newcomers. Job losses in Peterborough are coming from corporate closures like Minute Maid winding down its frozen juice line, Lufthansa’s call centre closing in 2026, and Siemens shifting manufacturing jobs — not from immigrants. In fact, immigrants make up only about 8% of the local workforce and are vital to keeping the economy running.

Second, we fact-check the claim that “Obama deported more people than Trump.” Obama deported about 3 million people over two terms, using policies created before him, then shifted to focus on “Felons, not families. Criminals, not children.” Trump’s first term numbers were lower (≈1.2 million), but in his second term, DHS reports over 2 million people forced out in less than a year — most through pressured border returns. We also look at who’s being targeted, the lawsuits against Trump’s approach, and the ripple effects on families, communities, and America’s global standing.

The lesson? Myths about immigration distract us from the real forces at work — corporations chasing profit and governments flexing power. The facts tell a more complicated, more human story.

📚 Sources & References

🇨🇦 Canada / Ontario Jobs

• Government of Canada – Temporary Foreign Worker Program overview

• Government of Canada – Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements

• Statistics Canada – Immigrants in the workforce (2021 Census)

• KawarthaNOW – Minute Maid plant to discontinue frozen juice line in Peterborough by 2026

• PtboCanada – Minute Maid to eliminate 38 jobs by end of year, says union

• KawarthaNOW – Lufthansa InTouch call centre in Peterborough closing by May 2026 (300–400 jobs lost)

• PtboToday – Three major Peterborough employers announce restructuring: Lufthansa, Siemens, Minute Maid

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🇺🇸 U.S. Deportations & Immigration Enforcement

• DHS – Yearbook of Immigration Statistics (definitions of removals vs. returns)

• Migration Policy Institute – Obama’s Record on Deportations: The ‘Deporter-in-Chief’ Debate

• DHS press release – Over 2 million illegal aliens out of the U.S. in less than 250 days

• TRAC (Syracuse University) – Removal and detention trackers

• Bipartisan Policy Center – Comparing Trump and Obama’s Deportation Priorities

• ACLU – Speed Over Fairness: Deportation Under Obama

• CNN – Federal court blocks Trump’s nationwide expansion of expedited removal (2025)

• Miami Herald – U.S. ramps up deportations, including flights to third countries

• AP News – Supreme Court clears Trump deportations to third countries

• New York Times – Immigration lawsuits mount against Trump administration