A Look at Recommended US-Canada Immigration Strategies to Adapt to the Rise in Asylum Seekers Crossing into Canada

Many foreign nationals in the United States no longer feel safe since President Trump came into power. Trump has made his opposition to immigration clear. The travel bans, lifting of migrant protections, and talks of building a wall to keep Mexicans out are all sound reasons to feel unwelcome in the US if you’re from another country. Many who applied for asylum in the US now fear deportation. For many, deportation is a serious risk, as they have fled conflict or persecution.

Thousands of migrants are coming to Canada for another chance at resettling in a safer place. But the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) between the US and Canada is causing many to cross at unofficial borders. And instead of making changes to this agreement to address the influx of asylum seekers, neither Canada nor the United States has done anything to make immigration in Canada for asylum seekers safer and better.

If changes to the STCA are not on the agenda for the Canadian government, then Canada needs to seriously consider how to effectively handle the influx of asylum seekers crossing at unofficial borders. Since Donald Trump became president of the US in January 2017, his anti-immigration statements and Executive Orders have caused thousands of people to no longer feel welcome in the US. Trump’s America.

Canada’s immigration officials are not currently making changes to the STCA, and Trump’s stance on immigration is clear. This presents an opportunity for both countries to come together with a long-term solution.

There are reasonable recommended solutions for both Canada and the US to manage this influx of border crossers. These recommendations include:

  • Canada allocating more resources the Immigration and Refugee Board immediately to address the long delays in the processing of refugee claims, now estimated to take more than one year;
  • Thoroughly monitoring border areas for the safety of border crossers, tracking of those crossing borders, and providing a clear understanding of the numbers of border crossers;
  • Implementing a US-Canada refugee referral program so those in the US who wish to claim asylum in Canada can do so legally, and without having to make the dangerous trek across unofficial borders—especially during extreme winter conditions.

Immigration to Canada for these asylum seekers should not involve crossing borders by foot, getting arrested, and potentially making arduous journeys during harsh winter conditions. But with the current immigration policies, more asylum seekers will make that dangerous trek because they fear they have no other options.