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OTTAWA — A man from Pakistan wants Canadian law to give migrants being held in detention the ability to challenge their imprisonment in front of a judge.

The Supreme Court of Canada heard arguments Wednesday on a case asking for immigration detainees to be given access to “habeas corpus” — a legal provision allowing anyone being held in custody the right to challenge their detention before a judge.

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Currently, migrants who do not hold Canadian citizenship can only challenge detention through an immigration tribunal or a judicial review.

The case was brought by Tusif Ur Rehman Chhina, a Pakistani man who sought refugee protection in Canada in 2006, but was later detained after authorities learned he had a criminal record.

The Immigration and Review Board held 12 reviews of his detention and each time ordered that he remain incarcerated. He has since been deported back to Pakistan, but his lawyers have continued to pursue the case.