Canada is preparing for an anticipated influx of migrants at its southern border after Donald Trump reinforced his commitment to executing the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
During Trump’s initial presidency, tens of thousands of Haitians sought refuge in Canada following his termination of their temporary protected status (later reinstated). Many crossed at Roxham Road, a rural path that allowed refugees to enter safely across the world’s longest land border.
The Roxham Road crossing was closed in 2023 after Canada and the U.S. expanded the Safe Third Country Agreement to include the entire land border, rather than just official crossings.
The RCMP has been preparing for several months for a renewed rise in crossings. A federal police spokesperson stated that officers had the “tools and insight” to manage a significant increase, including scenarios where hundreds might cross daily.
If migrants who cross claim asylum, the RCMP is unable to return them to the U.S.; their cases are added to a system already facing a 250,000-case backlog, with an average processing time of 44 months, as discussed in a parliamentary committee on Thursday.
Experts worry that with official crossings now closed, families may opt for increasingly hazardous routes along the 5,500-mile border, where the harsh terrain and weather pose deadly risks.
In January 2022, a family of four, including an infant, died from exposure attempting to cross into the U.S. from Canada, enduring severe cold and -35C (-31F) temperatures. Last year, the bodies of eight individuals, including children and parents, were found on the St. Lawrence River banks near the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which spans Quebec, Ontario, and New York State.
Though both cases involved southbound migrants, those heading north face similar risks, particularly with the approach of winter conditions, marked by extreme cold, deep snow, and frostbite hazards.
Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the Bloc Québécois, stated that Ottawa was “refusing to acknowledge an obvious and very serious situation of influx of illegal immigration” and advocated for more resources to track new human smuggling routes. Quebec Premier François Legault expressed doubts over the province’s capacity to handle significant new arrivals and suggested that although border security is a federal responsibility, Quebec might dispatch its own officers to monitor crossings.
Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland affirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining border security and controlling Canada’s borders.
