Canada and the United States are getting closer to signing an agreement to improve the situation of irregular migration at their common border, including Roxham Road.
“I think this is very good news,” confirmed Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, pressed by questions from journalists. “I understand that there will be clarifications quickly,” he also added, claiming to be aware of the content of the agreement.
The details of a new agreement are therefore not yet public. On the Canadian side, we say we are “encouraged by the signals from the United States”, according to a high-level government source. Progress has been made in the discussions, and more is expected in Friday’s meetings. It is therefore not yet possible to know Canada’s concessions or how to implement potential new restrictions.
As US President Joe Biden lands in Ottawa Thursday night, the pressure to come to a new deal has mounted further in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had hinted that an agreement was at hand: “We may have something to announce,” he said, without saying more.
Our series “The Roxham Road in Questions”:
Federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser also spoke to the media on Wednesday, insisting that the two countries believe in an orderly border, while having an “immigration policy favorable to those fleeing violence, war or persecution”.
Quebec Premier François Legault has been calling for the “closure” of Roxham Road for months. He reiterated his demands on Thursday, noting that out-of-province transfers of asylum seekers were not enough.
In 2022, 39,171 asylum seekers were intercepted at this irregular passageway, which represented two-thirds of all applications in Quebec.
More details will follow.
Reminder: A criminal prosecution against Trudeau in connection with Roxham Road is stopped