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US and Canada reach deal to reject asylum seekers US-Canada move to close unofficial border points by weekend
(about 1 hour later)
The US and Canada have reached a deal to reject asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings, officials say. US President Joe Biden is in Ottawa, Canada, to meet with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau
A new US-Canada border deal meant to halt the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings will go into effect at midnight on Saturday.
Migrants caught after that will be returned to an official border crossing, the countries said on Friday.
Large numbers of migrants have been making unsanctioned crossings via Roxham Road at the US-Canada border.Large numbers of migrants have been making unsanctioned crossings via Roxham Road at the US-Canada border.
The move closes a loophole created by a 2004 asylum agreement with the US on where migrants have to make their asylum claims. The move closes a loophole in an agreement between the two nations on where migrants may claim asylum.
It allowed Canada to turn migrants away at official points of entry but not at unofficial crossing points. The amendment is part of efforts to limit an influx of migrants at Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing between New York state and the province of Quebec.
As part of the deal, Canada will now also create a new refugee programme for 15,000 migrants fleeing persecution and violence in South and Central America. A record number of migrants - some 40,000 - crossed into Canada last year, the vast majority of which entered at Roxham Road.
The new deal extends the asylum agreement along the entire 9,000km (6,000 mile) border and is to go into effect at midnight on Friday local time, Reuters reported. As part of the new deal, Canada will also create a new refugee programme for 15,000 migrants fleeing persecution and violence in South and Central America, the prime minister's office (PMO) said.
President Biden is in Ottawa, Canada, for 24 hours to discuss a series of economic, trade and immigration issues with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau.
In his address to parliament on Friday, Mr Biden said the "United States and Canada will work together to discourage unlawful border crossings and fully implement the updated Safe Third Country Agreement".
The president also spoke of the importance of the deep economic ties and the defence alliances between the two nations.
He announced a new "global coalition" on the opioid crisis that will be led by the US and Canada. It will look to tackle the issue of drug trafficking not only in North America, but across the world.
Security is heavy in Canada's national capital for the presidential visit. Police cruisers and officers can be seen circling the area around parliament, and nearby streets have been closed to the public.
American flags are flying along Wellington, the street that runs in front of the parliament buildings.
Details of the migration accord are scheduled to be formally announced before Mr Biden returns to the US on Friday evening.
The US side has also seen a rise in migrant crossings into Canada. The agreement is expected to allow officials on both sides of the border to turn back asylum seekers heading in either direction.
Watch: The BBC filmed migrants turning themselves over to police at the borderWatch: The BBC filmed migrants turning themselves over to police at the border
Watch: The BBC filmed migrants turning themselves over to police at the borderWatch: The BBC filmed migrants turning themselves over to police at the border
The move is part of efforts to limit an influx of migrants at Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing between New York state and the province of Quebec. What is the Safe Third Country Act?
The original 2004 agreement, the Safe Third Country Act (STCA), requires migrants to make an asylum claim in the first "safe" country they reach, whether it is the US or Canada.
It allowed either nation to turn migrants away at official points of entry - but not at unofficial crossing points, like Roxham Road.
The new deal extends the agreement along the entire border, including internal waterways, the prime minister's office said in a statement.
Why migrants are choosing Canada in record numbersWhy migrants are choosing Canada in record numbers
Canada adds million to population inside a yearCanada adds million to population inside a year
'Surprise' in Canada as NYC buses migrants to border The new deal has been criticised by refugee advocates as ineffective to ending the irregular crossing of migrants into Canada.
The deal is an amendment to the two sides' 2004 Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which requires migrants to make an asylum claim in the first "safe" country they reach, whether it is the US or Canada. It is not going to stop people, Abdulla Daoud, executive director at The Refugee Centre in Montreal, told the BBC on Friday, adding he is concerned it could incentivise human smuggling.
The STCA allows US and Canadian officials to turn away asylum claimants in both directions at formal ports of entry, but does not apply to unofficial crossings. Speaking about the new refugee programme, he said: "The numbers are too low. We had 40,000 cross just in the past year - 15,000 is a low number and just from one part of the world, the Western hemisphere."
That led to many migrants trying to enter Canada at places where there is no official border crossing. The new arrangement would close that loophole.
The deal is "not going to stop people", Abdulla Daoud, executive director at The Refugee Centre in Montreal, told the BBC on Friday, adding he is concerned it could "incentivise human smuggling".
Speaking about the new refugee programme, he said: "The numbers are too low. We had 40,000 cross just in the past year - 15,000 is a low number and just from one part of the world, the western hemisphere."
New York City authorities last month said they were providing free bus tickets for migrants to travel up towards the US border with Canada.
The number of migrants who have crossed the northern border at Roxham Road surged last yearThe number of migrants who have crossed the northern border at Roxham Road surged last year
The US side has also seen a rise in migrant crossings into Canada.
Mr Biden's administration has also proposed to crack down on asylum seekers at the US southern border with Mexico by making it harder for migrants to claim asylum once Covid border controls lift in May. The proposal has met backlash from human rights groups.Mr Biden's administration has also proposed to crack down on asylum seekers at the US southern border with Mexico by making it harder for migrants to claim asylum once Covid border controls lift in May. The proposal has met backlash from human rights groups.
Mr Trudeau has argued the only way to halt irregular border crossings at Roxham Road is by renegotiating the STCA. What else is Biden doing in Canada?
With additional reporting from Eloise Alana in Montreal The announcement of the border closings comes as President Joe Biden is in Ottawa, Canada, for 24 hours to discuss a series of economic, trade and immigration issues with his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau.
Security is heavy in Canada's national capital for the presidential visit. Police cruisers and officers can be seen circling the area around parliament, and nearby streets have been closed to the public.
While in Canada, the president has spoken of the importance of the deep economic ties and the defence alliances between the two nations, as well as their joint support for Ukraine.
Also discussed was the ongoing instability in Haiti, where the economy is in crisis and gang violence and kidnappings have risen sharply.
The US has pushed Canada to lead an international force to support security forces in the Caribbean country.
On Friday, however, both Mr Biden and Mr Trudeau said they do not believe an intervention is the way forward at the moment.
"The biggest thing we can do, and it's going to take time, is to increase the prospect of the police department in Haiti having the capacity to deal with the problems," Mr Biden said at a joint press conference.
He added the instability "is a real, genuine concern," as ongoing gang violence could leave a large number of Haitians displaced.
The two countries also announced they will lead a new "global coalition" on the opioid crisis. It will look to tackle the issue of drug trafficking not only in North America, but across the world.
With additional reporting from Eloise Alana in Montreal and Jessica Murphy in Toronto.
Related TopicsRelated Topics
Justin TrudeauJustin Trudeau
United StatesUnited States
CanadaCanada
MigrationMigration
Joe BidenJoe Biden