After Roxham, other illegal crossings in Saint-Armand

SAINT-ARMAND – Despite the highly publicized closure of Roxham Road three weeks ago, the comings and goings continue unabated along the Canada-US border, particularly in Saint-Armand, in Estrie, where residents have noticed an increase in travel.

• Read also: Saint-Armand: a second Roxham Road at home

“There have been more in recent weeks. I met some while going grocery shopping, they are not dangerous, they are the ones who hide when they see us. It’s sad, it’s poor people, ”says André Labelle, a resident of this small municipality of 1,200 souls which runs along the border with Vermont.

The Journal met him last September when a smuggler’s car got stuck on his property. In reality, the front of the minivan was at home, while the rear was in the US town of Highgate, across the border.

After several steps, the Sûreté du Québec finally agreed to tow the vehicle off its land. But three other cars abandoned in the cornfield of its American neighbour, which were already there during our visit, did not move.

“I’ve been lobbying for them to be removed for months, but no one but me seems to care. The good news is that a raccoon made it his home and didn’t get cold this winter,” he laughs.

Police and helicopters

Several other residents of Saint-Armand mentioned to the Journal having noticed a greater influx of migrants since the end of March, when the closure of Roxham Road, in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, was announced. The presence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), both land and air, has also intensified in recent weeks near the border.

“There are definitely more police and helicopter patrols,” says André Labelle.

Met while he was sunbathing on the balcony of his house located a few steps from Vermont, Robert Lussier also noticed a greater presence of Canadian and American authorities since the end of March.

“We feel them more since they closed Roxham,” he said. Even the Americans, they installed cameras everywhere. I can’t even enjoy my land freely anymore, they see me on their cameras for example if I want to go cross-country skiing. »

Also to USA

But there are not only migrants in Saint-Armand, recalls Mary Mcnamara, whose property shelters a road very used by people who want to cross illegally in order to go to the United States. She estimates that her land allows at least one group of people a day to travel to Vermont. In fact, just Thursday morning, she was awakened at dawn by RCMP officers and their intense searchlights trying to intercept a group of Hispanic origin who had been seen crossing on cameras.

“We were told by RCMP officers that it’s mostly Mexicans who come here by plane since they don’t need a VISA (to enter Canada). Then, they will join the United States by the land border, ”explains the one who overflows with empathy and respect for these travelers.

Drink a coffee

Mrs. Mcnamara has even invited families to come in for a coffee or to make a phone call. She has also kept in touch with a Colombian couple and hopes one day to be able to meet their newborn.

“They are not mean people, I think we would all benefit from being more human towards these people. They arrive with almost nothing, hardly any luggage, it’s all very sad. »

As a compilation provided by the RCMP shows, the police seem to have intercepted fewer and fewer people since the closure of Roxham Road on March 25. However, these figures were to be expected, since migrants previously passed without problem and without hiding on the irregular Roxham path, whereas they must now be discreet.

RCMP interceptions since late April:

• March 25 to 31: 194 asylum seekers
• April 1 to 7: 36 asylum seekers

Source RCMP