Canada granting refugee status to fewer illegal border crossers

By Anna Mehler Paperny

 

FILE PHOTO: Three families that claimed to be from Burundi walk down Roxham Road to cross into Quebec at the US-Canada border in Champlain, New York, U.S., August 3, 2017. REUTERS/Christinne Muschi/File Photo

 

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada is rejecting more refugee claims from people who crossed its border illegally as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government seeks to dissuade, block and turn back thousands more, according to new data obtained by Reuters.

 

Forty percent of such border crossers whose claims were finalised in the first three months of this year were granted refugee status, down from 53 percent for all of 2017, according to data provided by Canada's Immigration and Refugee Board. There were no claims finalised in the first three months of 2017.

 

The Immigration and Refugee Board said on Tuesday it has received no directives or guidance on how to deal with these border crossers.

 

The government's "first priority remains the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of our immigration system," a spokesman for Immigration and Refugee Minister Ahmed Hussen said in an email.

 

The wave of border crossings started up in January 2017 and ramped up over the summer as many Haitian immigrants in the United States who were at risk of losing their temporary legal status streamed into Canada on expectations they could find a safe haven. In the months since, thousands of Nigerians have made the same crossing.

 

More than 27,000 asylum seekers have walked across the Canada-U.S. border since President Donald Trump took office, some of whom have told Reuters they left the United States because of Trump's policies and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

 

The influx has strained Canada's backlogged system for assisting people seeking refugee status, leaving aid agencies scrambling to meet growing demand for housing and social services.

 

Trudeau's government has sought to stem the influx by amending a U.S.-Canadian border pact that turns back asylum seekers at border crossings, but allows immigrants who enter the country outside of an official border crossing to apply for refugee status.

 

Canada sent its immigration and refugee minister to Nigeria, asking the Nigerian government to help discourage its citizens from crossing into Canada, and asking the United States to deny visas to people who might then go to Canada.

 

Immigration and Refugee Board data shows that while only a small number of border-crosser claims have been processed, acceptance rates are down for all groups seeking refugee status. The success rate is especially low for Haitians and Nigerians, with overall acceptance rates of 9 percent and 33.5 percent, respectively.

 

Graphic on the impact asylum seekers are having in Canada: tmsnrt.rs/2HCp4aD

 

(Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; editing by Jim Finkle, Leslie Adler and Bill Berkrot)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-05-23

Sane Americans escaping Trump's America should be considered. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Canada is rejecting more refugee claims from people who crossed its border illegally as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government seeks to dissuade, block and turn back thousands more, according to new data obtained by Reuters.

Come on Justin, this is just not cricket.

 

Look to the EU to see how it is really done.

Oh the irony of it!

Trump must be laughing his socks off about this.

I hope he has directed the border guard to not allow them back into the US. Canada's problem once they cross the border.

Wonder how they would react to being drowned in migrants like places in southern Europe !

Trudeau's general election is coming up next year....better be seen to be doing summat....

I am surprised the Nigerians are getting visas to go to the US in the first place?

Canada please hold open two positions for Rosey MC Donald and Barbara Strison that has stated they will move there if Trump was elected. The girls are just waiting to kiss Hillary good by.

How's that liberalism working out for you now Justin?

Back to the USA with them.....they were already in a safe country......economic migrants the vast majority of them...

Should do the same with the Hindus who are flying in by the plane load- only reject them in India

I doubt very much that Trudeau is personally overseeing the screening of the refugees.   People with a good, solid claim to refugee status most likely would not have left the US.   In spite of the rhetoric, the US is still screening according to the rules and regulations.   Canada is doing the same.

 

Screening can vary from place to place, but the criteria is basically the same.  

 

There have always been non-refugees mixed in with genuine refugees.   That is why screening is necessary. 

On 5/23/2018 at 11:47 AM, topt said:

I am surprised the Nigerians are getting visas to go to the US in the first place?

 

Nigerian princes are perfectly trustworthy.

16 hours ago, Scott said:

I doubt very much that Trudeau is personally overseeing the screening of the refugees.   People with a good, solid claim to refugee status most likely would not have left the US.   In spite of the rhetoric, the US is still screening according to the rules and regulations.   Canada is doing the same.

 

Screening can be vary from place to place, but the criteria is basically the same.  

 

There have always been non-refugees mixed in with genuine refugees.   That is why screening is necessary. 

They're playing the pick and choose game.  Canada can have it for all I care.

On 5/23/2018 at 8:46 AM, helpisgood said:

Sane Americans escaping Trump's America should be considered. 

You just can't fix stupid 

5 hours ago, sukhumvitneon said:

They're playing the pick and choose game.  Canada can have it for all I care.

Looking at the rate of those being screened in, it is more likely that they are aware that they aren't going to get refugee status in either country.   They may think they have a better chance of not being deported from Canada.

 

The difference for right now for many non-refugees is the speed with which deportations are occurring.   I suspect a fair number may have already been screened out and may have just disappeared into the woodwork.   The Trump administration has been more aggressive in finding illegals.   I don't know if Canada is as aggressive.  

 

 

The Justin administration acting like the Trump administration.

Boy, the ultra left wing S... F....'s must be (are) going into stroke about this news.

 

42 minutes ago, dcutman said:

The Justin administration acting like the Trump administration.

Boy, the ultra left wing S... F....'s must be (are) going into stroke about this news.

 

Nobody's going to stroke out.   For some reason, people look at the number of people seeking asylum, which from place to place and time to time can be very high.   Of those, however, the actual rate of being granted refugee status is not high.   With the exception of those fleeing an active war zone, it's not easy.   Even coming from an active war zone, many will not be refugees.   They may be displaced but they may not qualify as a genuine refugee.  

 

Neither Trump nor Trudeau are directing the people doing status determination to screen anyone in or out.   The criteria is set up by the UN.  

 

There are two situations which cause concern for many.   First, what to do with those screened out who can't be deported for various reasons.  Second is the appeal process, which can be slow and lengthy and then makes it harder to deport someone has become established in the country.  

 

 

14 minutes ago, Scott said:

Nobody's going to stroke out.   For some reason, people look at the number of people seeking asylum, which from place to place and time to time can be very high.   Of those, however, the actual rate of being granted refugee status is not high.   With the exception of those fleeing an active war zone, it's not easy.   Even coming from an active war zone, many will not be refugees.   They may be displaced but they may not qualify as a genuine refugee.  

 

Neither Trump nor Trudeau are directing the people doing status determination to screen anyone in or out.   The criteria is set up by the UN.  

 

There are two situations which cause concern for many.   First, what to do with those screened out who can't be deported for various reasons.  Second is the appeal process, which can be slow and lengthy and then makes it harder to deport someone has become established in the country.  

 

 

You can talk all the political  crap you want,

I guarantee you if the MSM in America was reporting on this, witch they are not, left wing nutt jobs  would be going ballistic.

Thats the problem with you ultra lefties, if its not being reported on CNN, its not happening.

1 minute ago, dcutman said:

You can talk all the political  crap you want,

I guarantee you if the MSM in America was reporting on this, witch they are not, left wing nutt jobs  would be going ballistic.

Thats the problem with you ultra lefties, if its not being reported on CNN, its not happening.

Here's the difference, you are talking political crap, I am not.   I've did refugee screening for a number of years.   The rate of those being screened out  was very high.  

 

You might want to actually check the statistics of how many people are determined to be a genuine refugee.  

 

I am not sure if we are reading the same OP.

The way I read it, and to stay on topic, witch you are not. These people have have realized their temporary stay in America witch is way past due, has ended and they are looking for greener pastures (gravy train) up North. And the Canadians are not having any of it.

Is all I am saying if this was being reported here in the U.S. by the Ultra Left CNN, the senators from NY and Cali, Chuck and Nancy, would be going crazy right now. Somehow blaming Trump for this.