Border visit 4 September 2022

A warm late summer’s day. Some 26 people crossed during our visit.
 
At 3.20 pm a yellow taxi brought a small family from Haiti: a couple  with a little girl about 6 years old.  The woman was very friendly and seemed to appreciate the welcome. The little girl smiled. At that time there were five officers on the Canadian side but one left.  They behaved appropriately and neutrally.  The family hesitated briefly and then crossed over. After we heard the officer ask them where they were from. They said that the couple were Haitian nationals but the little girl was a Chilean national indicating that this couple had made the long journey to Canada via South America, Central America, Mexico and the US.
 
About 30 minutes later three taxis, including two vans, brought about 20 people including five children, four women (one was pregnant) and the rest were men of different ages, mostly in their 20s and 30s.  One of the taxi drivers told us that 13 people out of this group had come from Vive Shelter in Buffalo. Most of the people spoke Spanish and came from Columbia and Venezuela, and a few were African francophones, likely from West Africa and/or the Democratic Republic of Congo. The police officers behaved professionally and one young officer in particular was considerate as he checked IDs etc outside the tent.
 
Shortly after this group entered Canada, a taxi brought a young Hispanic couple who crossed quickly. Finally at 4.20pm a last taxi arrived bringing a young woman from Zimbabwe.  She too crossed without incident.