Trump’s Deportation Plan a Key Focus for Canada’s Cabinet Committee on U.S.-Canada Relations
TORONTO (AP) — November 9, 2024
The promise by President-elect Donald Trump to launch a large-scale deportation program targeting millions of undocumented immigrants is a top priority for Canadian officials as the country prepares for the potential impacts of such a plan, particularly an increase in irregular border crossings from the U.S. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland confirmed on Friday that the issue will be central to discussions as Canada’s Cabinet committee on U.S.-Canada relations reconvenes under the Trudeau administration.
The committee, which was reinstated this week, will be tasked with addressing various concerns stemming from the renewed Trump presidency. Freeland, who chairs the committee, stated that one of the main focal points is what Trump’s proposed mass deportation policy could mean for Canada.
“Canadians are rightly concerned about the implications for our border and immigration systems,” Freeland said in a briefing after the committee’s first meeting. “It is one of our two central points of focus moving forward.” She noted that discussions around immigration, national security, and the integrity of Canada’s borders are vital in light of Trump’s planned crackdown on undocumented migrants in the U.S.
Freeland assured the public that the Canadian government already has a strategy in place to address potential shifts in migration patterns. However, she declined to reveal the specifics of the plan. “We are taking this seriously, and we are in close communication with provincial leaders, as well as with our immigration and public safety ministers, who are all members of the committee,” she said.
Canada has already experienced an increase in the number of irregular border crossings, particularly from the U.S., between 2016 and 2023. Many of these crossings were attributed to fears of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, prompting a surge of asylum seekers attempting to enter Canada via unofficial routes.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been closely monitoring these migration trends, preparing for various scenarios in the event that irregular crossings begin to rise again. Though the number of illegal crossings has decreased in 2024, the RCMP continues to keep a watchful eye on the situation, especially with the potential changes that a new Trump presidency could bring.
Trump’s deportation plan, which he has described as “the largest mass deportation program in history,” aims to expel millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States. The plan calls for extensive use of the National Guard and local law enforcement agencies to round up and deport individuals. His administration has also proposed revisiting controversial policies aimed at preventing illegal immigration from neighboring countries, including Canada.
The implications of this policy have raised significant concerns in Canada, particularly in provinces like Quebec, which shares a long border with the U.S. Last year, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new policy aimed at closing a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which had allowed asylum seekers to cross the border from the U.S. into Canada via unofficial routes, especially near the town of Roxham Road in Quebec.
Under the revised agreement, any asylum seekers who cross the border illegally within 14 days of being refused entry by the U.S. are now subject to being sent back. This new measure has been framed as a way to curb irregular crossings while also balancing Canada’s obligations to refugees and asylum seekers.
As the committee prepares for future meetings, including another session next week, Freeland made it clear that Canada will continue to work with the U.S. to address migration challenges in a way that upholds Canadian values of inclusivity and safety. At the same time, she acknowledged that managing the possible influx of migrants could put pressure on Canada’s immigration and social services systems.
“We are in close consultation with the provinces, and we are ready to respond swiftly to any challenges that arise from shifts in U.S. immigration policy,” Freeland stated. The Canadian government’s commitment to maintaining secure borders and a fair immigration system remains at the forefront of the country’s strategy as it navigates the complex realities of a new U.S. administration under Trump.
