Asylum-seeking actor Randy Quaid claimed he and his wife would be dead if it were not for Canada’s refugee system.

The Hollywood star made the comment as he entered his Immigration and Refugee Board hearing in Vancouver, where he and his wife Evi were picked up last month on an outstanding warrant in the US.

The pair quickly claimed refugee status and their hearings have been conducted amid their bizarre claims of being hunted by what they call “Hollywood star whackers”.

They say many of their friends have died under mysterious circumstances and believe they could be next on the hit list.

Mr Quaid is hoping to convince Canada’s Immigration and Refugee board that he and his wife are targeted by Hollywood killers and thereby accomplish what no other American has ever done in Canada – gain refugee status.

“I feel good. If it wasn’t for Canada’s refugee laws my wife and I would be dead,” Mr Quaid said before he entered court on Tuesday night.

Mr Quaid and his wife remain fugitives from a California court after the couple failed to appear last week for their arraignment on felony vandalism charges for the fourth time. He is going through two hearings at Canada’s Immigration Board.

The first is to determine his refugee claim and the second is to determine whether he is admissible to Canada. At that hearing, immigration officials have submitted voluminous evidence of his alleged criminality in the US. If found inadmissible, he faces deportation.

His admissibility hearing has been postponed to December 22.

In the meantime, the couple say they feel safe in Canada, which they believe is out of their would-be killers’ reach.