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Canadian authorities caught 887 asylum seekers crossing unlawfully into Canada from the United States in March, nearly triple the number in January.
This brings the total number of asylum seekers caught walking across the border to 1,860 so far this year. The new statistics suggest those numbers could rise further as the weather warms.
Canada is on track to see the highest number of asylum claims in six years, given the pace of claims filed so far, as increasing numbers of people cross into Canada to make refugee claims in the wake of US President Donald Trump's election and his crackdown on refugees and migrants.
"The majority of irregular migrants are holders of visas for the United States," according to a statement released Wednesday from the office of Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale.
Isn't fleeing to Canada to escape what's happening in the US rather like fleeing to Poland to escape what happened in Germany?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @12:23AM (8 children)
Okay, I wrote a long rant about how this was a political hit piece trying to portray the US as a wasteland... but I think I finally figured it out.
This is not asylum seekers fleeing American persecution... these are asylum seekers fleeing *to* the US, but since the election of Trump they are fearful they will not be granted status so are re-fleeing to Canada. This is still something, but a lot different than "Hispanic people are feeling the heavy-hand of the ethnic cleansing and running to Canada" which it sounds like at first blush.
I still think it's a bit of a hit-piece given the ambiguous phrasing, but at least it makes sense and is defensible.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Friday April 21 2017, @02:04AM (3 children)
Yeah, you've nailed it. I've read a couple articles in past weeks, pretty much saying the same thing. Illegal aliens (who is some cases are also asylum seekers) have decided that they really aren't welcome here, so they are moving on. And, to most of them, I say, "Good riddance!"
As for genuine asylum seekers, well, life sucks. The US does help people who genuinely need help. We do offer shelter for those who are persecuted. Unfortunately, we are flooded with people who have no respect for Law - whether that be our laws, or any other nation's laws. They genuine asylum seekers are lost in the flood. Sucks, but that's the way things are.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday April 21 2017, @02:13AM
Wait, what? So you are wishing goodbye to all those skilled lawyers, doctors, scientists, and engineers? [i.yuki.la]
But how oh how will America prosper without them? Oh, well, our loss is Canada's gain -- good thing Canada is a tolerant multicultural progressive society. Those lawyers, doctors, scientists, and engineers seeking refuge will fit right in!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @02:16AM (1 child)
Universities are also flooded. Time to utilize the same tool with entrance exams for border entry?
And of course exploring these questions:
* Have you ever been involved with any extremist organization?
* Is violence alright for a woman to divorce or for someone saying things you don't like?
* Should the laws be dictated by theocratic rules?
* Do your honor depend on who your children associate with? which type of maiming right to uphold it?
* Which clan are you loyal to?
etc..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @03:15AM
So you'd take in the Yazidis and not the Iraqi Shia Muslims and certainly not the Iraqi Sunni Muslims.
And you might wish to prefer the atheist gay ones. Gay Yazidi atheists are definitely less likely to suicide bomb you later on. Less likely to raise children who'd suicide bomb you. From what I gather not as many openly gay people raise children, and if they do they tend to do a better job than average (it's not some fuck condom failed, looks like I have kids now).
(Score: 5, Informative) by jdccdevel on Friday April 21 2017, @03:09AM (3 children)
This is absolutely not a "Hit Piece".
These refugees arrived in the USA first, and since Trump's election are fleeing again to Canada since they believe their claim will be denied in the USA.
This issue has been in the news here for months.
Unfortunately, we (Canada) have signed a Safe Third Country Agreement [wikipedia.org] with the USA, which means that any refugee ending up in Canada or the USA has to claim status in whichever country they land in first.
That means that if these people show up at an official border crossing, their refugee claim here would be denied, and they would have to go back to the USA. If they're denied in the USA, they would be unable to re-apply here and would be shipped back where they came from.
Fortunately for them, there is a loophole. If they cross "unofficially" (i.e. walk across the border in the wilds somewhere), they can claim refugee status here. They just can't do it at an official land border crossing.
In the winter, there were People walking through farmers fields at night [www.cbc.ca]
People lost most of their hands to frostbite [www.cbc.ca]
It's happening in Quebec [www.cbc.ca] where the RCMP are stationed 24x7 and sometimes Help people who have run from the US Border Patrol [www.cbc.ca]
Frankly, the situation is putting a lot of strain on people living near the border, like those in Emerson Manitoba. [www.cbc.ca]
Obviously, these are desperate people. Many have run a gauntlet of Slave Markets. [bbc.com] and Human Smugglers. Large numbers end up dead [theguardian.com], exposing their children who survive to sexual abuse and exploitation. [bbc.com] I cannot imagine the hell they've gone through just to get to the USA, where they thought they could start a new life.
But many of them are obviously not feeling welcome there [www.cbc.ca], and have legitimate concerns their Asylum claims will be denied. For most of them, sending them back would be sentencing them to Torture, Starvation [aljazeera.com], and ultimately Death Depending on where in the world they're from [wikipedia.org]
That's why these people are crossing into Canada, and not using the regular ports of entry. I don't blame them. I would probably do the same thing.
I think we (Canada) should suspend the "Safe Third Country" Agreement. The USA doesn't use the same standards as Canada does for their Asylum/Refugee claims anymore, and we should allow those who want to claim Refugee status in Canada to do so at a regular port of entry, where there are more resources in place to help them and get them settled.
To dismiss this as a "Hit piece" means you haven't been paying attention, but I guess you're not alone. [www.cbc.ca]
These people have already risked everything to get to the "Land of the Free, Home of the Brave". Hundreds of them every month are risking their lives again leaving the USA for Canada.
That is a fact.
Maybe Americans should figure out why?
(Sorry for all the links to CBC, those are just the articles I could readily reference.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @11:12AM
The problem is that these people will end up as a big drain on the Canadian welfare system (health care, school, subsidies etc) but can't not contribute anything substantial in the work market. In their trail criminality, terrorism and infections diseases follow. Realize that you can't help everybody.
Aid in their home country is way more efficient and emphasis on security, stability, health care and education usually works in the long term. While accepting them at home only bogs down the engine that could pay that help.
Vancouver btw seems to have problems with Chinese property buyers that squeeze out the working population in Canada by property pricing hikes. That will not work out long term either.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday April 21 2017, @11:39PM (1 child)
Welcome each person. Get them to make ads about how Canada has offered them everything. Quietly exterminate them while the ads run in the USA.
This gets them out of both the USA and Canada.
Not willing? OK, suit yourself. Build a wall, making Mexico pay for it.
(Score: 2) by kaszz on Saturday April 22 2017, @12:19AM
What Canada needs to do is to build a wall, and make United States pay for it! ;-)