President Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached a deal that would send asylum seekers who do not have U.S. or Canadian citizenship back to the U.S. if they are caught within 14 days of crossing the U.S.-Canada Border. The deal changes the Safe Third Country Agreement between the two countries.
- Now, migrants must apply for asylum in Canada or the U.S., depending on their destination after leaving their home country.
- The agreement also allows for 15,000 migrants from the Western Hemisphere to apply for asylum in Canada.
- The new deal emphasizes stricter policies on immigration from both leaders, who have faced pressure from conservatives in their countries to implement harsher immigration policies.
The policy has been widely condemned by immigration activists and could be struck down in court through future litigation.
A recent rise in migration in Canada put a strain on the country’s resources, with the majority of migrants crossing into the country from Quebec. Since the agreement was reached, 34 migrants have been moved from the U.S.-Canada border to Texas for processing. In response, migrants from the U.S. rushed to enter Canada before the agreement went into effect on March 25 at 12:01 a.m.