In the front row, residents of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle reported to their mayor, Estelle Muzzi, that they had seen asylum seekers entering Canada by other means than Roxham Road.
On the American side, William Wimble, who lives on Roxham Road, regularly sees migrants passing behind his house.
Migrants are still driven to Roxham Road; Ten arrived on Saturday evening. I believe the shutdown will make things worse; so it is, said Mr. Wimble.
When asked about the community’s mayor’s claims, Canadian Heritage Minister and Quebec Lieutenant Pablo Rodriguez expressed reluctance.
I can’t comment on what she thinks she saw or didn’t see. I don’t know, it’s possible people are trying to get through, Mr Rodriguez said on Tout un matin.
Blocking migrants from crossing anywhere other than a border post should be avoided at all times, he said. But due to the long border between Canada and the United States, there is no perfect way to avoid all of this.
“Someone trying to walk through the forest may be able to succeed and we try to avoid that so as not to endanger the lives of people and their families. »
– A quote from Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Lieutenant of Quebec
Asked how Canada is preventing migrants from crossing the border, the minister contented himself with citing the role of embassies and international publicity in immigration processes in a good and appropriate manner.
Since 2017, a smuggler network had been organized in the USA to lead migrants to Roxham Road.
Photo: (Carlos Osorio/Portal)
For her part, Christine Fréchette, Québec’s minister for immigration, franciscation and integration, recalled that border management is a federal responsibility. There will certainly be some attempts to recreate transit locations […] It will be up to the federal government to monitor what other border crossings people may try to cross.
Regarding the risk of migrants choosing to bypass Roxham Road and going undocumented, the minister settled that as a government we very much prefer people to enter Quebec on a regular basis.
But for Ms Fréchette, the closure of Roxham Road is a response to the most pressing crisis: we had reached a situation where we were seeing twice as many asylum seekers arriving irregularly than regularly, that was an anomaly and needed to be corrected.
Furthermore, Ms Fréchette claims that Quebec has already received more than its share and asks that the other provinces also welcome migrants. The minister also wants people who have already arrived in Quebec to be able to benefit from basic services such as affordable housing and care.
15,000 more asylum seekers in Canada
The closure of Roxham Road comes after lengthy negotiations with the White House, which agreed to modernize the border deal on condition that Canada accepts 15,000 more asylum seekers over the next 12 months. Few details are known about this program, which is still under development.
However, this agreement does not really affect migrants who continue to go to Roxham Road, Mr Rodriguez confirmed in an interview. The 15,000, we’re not talking about people who have already arrived in Canada […]; We are talking here about people who are usually in their country.
It can also be displaced persons, such as a Venezuelan refugee who is in Colombia and is officially seeking asylum in Canada, the minister gave an example.
However, people who meet certain conditions can still walk to Roxham Road, Mr Rodriguez reminded. This is the case for unaccompanied minors or applicants who have family members in Canada.
Migrants are stuck in the US
If Roxham Road is no longer an option for asylum seekers, what about those who continue to go there?
After being deported to the United States, a migrant shared his situation with our special correspondent. I no longer have the choice to be here, but to be here without being happy. It is used for? There is no more hope, he said. He is now trying to find his daughter who stayed at home.
The latter asked for anonymity because he fears the consequences he could face in his country of origin if the United States, in turn, tells him that he cannot stay.
“I can’t go home, but what am I doing here? I don’t know. »
— A quote from the testimony of a migrant stranded in the United States
In Champlain, a small border town on the United States side, there is no shelter, no food aid, and only one organization that helps migrants but has limited funding.
There is nothing that exists here to help people […] no service, no lodging, there is nothing, stressed Champlain Mayor Janet McFetridge.
I’m surprised it happened so quickly, if we had had two weeks to prepare it would have helped, regretted Ms McFetridge, who also works as a volunteer.
Fifty miles off Roxham Road, residents of Plattsburgh are also concerned about the consequences of the tightened entry requirements at this intersection.
They’ve been stuck in the United States since Roxham Road closed. These migrants, coming from far away, are alone. If aid is not organized at the moment, American citizens are working to support it. For their part, residents near Roxham Road fear the consequences of their closure. A report by Marie-Isabelle Rochon.
They worry there aren’t enough resources to accommodate migrants who may be sent back to that city in upstate New York. I feel bad about the circumstances, but they have to find another solution, a local resident said.
Another argues that without adequate housing, living conditions are difficult due to the cold climate in winter. Plattsburgh experienced a similar scenario back in 1987 when Canada turned back many migrants to the United States. A Presbyterian church then hosted visiting families for a period of five years.
I think when refugees come to us, one way or another, this community will respond by providing housing, shelter and whatever they need to people who are in transit,” said Stuart Voss, a member of this organization Church.
Conditions recognized by the UN, says Rodriguez
Asked about the fate of migrants stranded in the United States, Minister Rodriguez said the Safe Third Country Agreement follows principles set out by the UN.
“There is no one in the world who would want to reject anyone […], but there are rules to respect, then we respect what the United Nations asks of us. »
– A quote from Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Lieutenant of Quebec
In 2022, nearly 40,000 asylum seekers crossed the border via Roxham Road, according to federal figures.
With information Marie-Isabelle Rochon