As Trump’s Anti-Migrant Push gets money, it is advocated by Canada to act | Migration news
Montreal, Canada – Donald Trump was in the White House for less than three weeks, but the president of the United States has already launched what many say is A focused attack About the rights of migrants and refugees.
The Republican leader sent migrants to the infamous detention at the Guantanamo Bay in Cuba; pushed for multiple deportations; effectively forbidden asylum; and suspended the refugee relocation program.
Trump used too Threat to tariffs Press the neighbors of his country – Canada and Mexico – to bring sharper measures at their limits to stop irregular migration in the US.
For the advocates of Canadian rights, Trump administration policy against migrants The cause is an alarm and they called to Canada to stop sending most of the asylum seekers coming to the Canadian border in search of protection back to the US.
“The Government of the United States itself becomes a persecution agent of people within its borders,” said Wendy Ayotte, co-founder of Bridges Nots Borders, a group that supports asylum refugees and seekers at the Quebec-New York border.
“When we bring people back to the United States as we do at the moment, … that makes us a presenter with a refuge regime,” said Ayotte, who lives in the small town of Quebec in Havelock, she told Al Jazeera.
“It makes us alers with the possibility that this person wants too in custody in poor condition or be returned to your home country. “
Canada-US border contract
This week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Trump’s administration had agreed to a 30 -day freezing On planned tariffs for Canadian goods after making promises to trick the security of the border.
“Nearly 10,000 staff comes first and will work to protect the boundaries,” Trudeau ua said Post on social media.
“Canada agreed to ensure we have a safe northern border,” Trump added On his truth social platform.
The Canadian government had already announced A plan to increase border security late last year, shortly after Trump for the first time threatened to impose tariffs. That $ 910 million scheme ($ 1.3 billion-Canadian dollar) included Investments in drones, helicopters and other surveillance equipment.
Migrations on the border of Canada-US are also subject to strict rules.
2021., Two countries expanded What is known as an agreement on a safe third country (STCA).
Under the Pact, which first entered into force in 2024, asylum seekers must seek protection in any of the two countries in which they first arrived. This means that someone who is already in the US cannot apply for asylum in Canada, unless he fulfills special exemption.
The agreement was previously applied only to asylum requirements in official input ports, which means that the people who had improperly moved to Canada could once hear their claims on Canadian soil.
But in March 2023, Trudeau and then President Joe Biden expanded Stca to the entire border, including between the entrance ports. Because of this, people still made it difficult for access to the Canadian Asylum system.
While there were several High cases Of the people trying to enter the US from Canada, the numbers remain low compared to those on the border of the US-Mexico.
In the Fiscal Year in 2024, US Customs and Border Protection reported Just under 200,000 encounters with people trying to move irregularly to the country from Canada. More than 2.1 million meetings have been registered at the US border with Mexico.
I just had a good call with President Trump. Canada implements our $ 1.3 billion border plan – enhances the border with new helicopters, technology and staff, improved coordination with our American partners and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanis. Almost …
– Justin Trudeau (@justintrudeau) 3. February 2025
The Canadian government defended Stca as an “important tool” that helps both Canada and the US -in effective management of refugee claims.
“Canada and the US still benefit from STCA management of asylum requirements on our common border, and we expect this to continue,” said the immigrant spokesman for the Al Jazeera Ue -Poruci.
“The Canadian government strongly discourages irregular border crossings,” a spokesman said.
“They are illegal, risky and dangerous. We continue to cooperate with our colleagues in the United States to respond to illegal transitions to north and south along the border as part of our longtime, collaborative efforts and mutual interests to keep our communities.”
However, law proponents said that the agreement does not stop irregular migration, but only pushes desperate asylum seekers Start the risky routes in their pursuit of security.
Gauri Sreenivan is the Executive Director of the Canadian Refugee Council (CCR), a group involved in Legal challenge against Stca. The organization has claimed for years that the US is not a safe place for those looking for asylum.
“Certainly, a series of executive orders and actions we now see President Trump [have made] Now more dangerously insecure for those who seek protection, “said Sreenivated to Al Jazeera.
CCR, Amnesty International Canada and the Canadian Council of Churches have challenged Stca on the basis of violating the right to life, freedom and security, as well as the right to equal protection as enrolled in Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom.
Supreme Court of Canada ruled on the argument of a life right In 2023, saying that while asylum seekers were facing possible violations of rights in the US, STCA contained sufficient security mechanisms for people who could be exposed to risk if they could send them back.
But the judges sent the case to a lower federal court to decide on an equal protective argument. The hearing is expected this year, but no date is set, said Sreenivative.
She added that Canada should not wait for the courts to rule on Stca.
“Should be able to assess what is happening right now in a row [Trump] Executive commands, “said Sreenivan,” and clearly determine that the conditions are no longer sure, that there is no effective right to asylum in the US. “
“What are we advocating for?”
Anne Dutton, Senior Advisor at the Center for Native and Refugee Studies (CGRS) at the University of California’s Faculty of Law, San Francisco, said she was “very anxious time for asylum” in the United States.
“It is clear that Trump’s administration has entered the daily order of limiting the rights and protection for the migrants and asylum seekers,” she told Al Jazeera.
CGRS is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit This was filed this week against an effective prohibition of asylum of Trump administration asylum. The ban was exposed to one of the Republican presidents Executive actions On the first day of his term, January 20th.
The command is used “to close the southern border to all migrants, including asylum seekers,” Dutton told Al Jazeera. “He really excludes the opportunity to seek asylum in the first point.”
In the face of that, Dutton also expressed skepticism that now they are a safe place for asylum seekers.
“The fact that they are now wholesalely eliminating access to the asylum process for people who need protection is a very worrying sign that the US is not really a refuge that the agreement on a safe third country imagines,” she explained.
She added that there were also concerns that Trump’s administration could bring stricter rules and limitations for people who are already in the USA want to approach protection.
“We have only seen a total increase in hostility to the asylum seeker and supporting our obligations to protect people who need refuge,” Dutton said.
“It is definitely the fear that the other Trump administration will not only continue that path, but also to worse.”
Return to Canada, Ayotte on bridges, not the border, said migration also used “political football” by the legislators north of the border – and that is unlikely to change Federal choices This year.
Still, she said that politicians and Canadian voters face a critical moment.
“As Canadians, we have to ask ourselves, do we want to be in line with it? How far we are willing to go respect … [with] A bully and a racist who has no worry for human life? “She said, referring to Trump.
“I think we have to look ourselves in the face and ask ourselves,” What are we advocating for? “
