The citizens of the municipality of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle are disappointed with the closure of Roxham Road, which in fact does not solve the problems they have been facing for several years.
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For example, the citizens interviewed by TVA Nouvelles thought that the path would actually be blocked, for example by a barrier, and the migrants would be turned back.
The reality is more subtle, however, as the situation actually remains almost unchanged.
Migrants arriving via Roxham Road will be stopped as before and only after that will the administrative process change.
One citizen therefore thought he was done with the irregular passages of migrants crossing his country.
“Very disappointing. Sorry but I thought it was closed, period. If we close something, we close,” laments Pierre Figouin, who lives near Roxham Road.
“We had peace,” he says again. It’s a path that was almost unknown to everyone, but suddenly, five or six years ago, it began to cross, to arrive… it disturbs our silence.
We may have to be patient before the new agreement between the United States and Canada has a concrete impact on the lives of residents of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.
The hope is that a growing number of migrants, who no longer see any benefit in taking Roxham Road, will opt for a regulated access point instead.