border visit december 30, 2018

Sunday December 30th, 2018. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
We arrived today with a Canadian photo-journalist who has been working on a project looking at refugee shelters along the Canada/US border. We spoke with one of the RCMP officers who said it had been busier the last few days. While we were there a total of 14 people crossed into Canada. They were from four countries: Angola, Senegal, Pakistan and Nigeria.
 
The first taxi to arrive brought a family from Angola: a woman with an 8 month-old baby in a sling on her back, a young boy and 2 teenage girls. They had lots of luggage which they had to get across the border at the same time.  Not long after, a shuttle arrived with a man from Pakistan and two children.
 
15 minutes later two tall young men arrived who were originally from Senegal but had been living in the USA for some time. One spoke English and the other French and they were overjoyed with the hats and mitts we offered.  They insisted on hugging all of us.  The receiving RCMP officer helped them with their luggage and told them the protocol and also told them they had a right to a lawyer.
 
Shortly afterwards a taxi arrived with a friendly family, originally from Nigeria, but who had been living in the US: a mother with 3 teenage daughters.  As previously the RCMP confined their remarks to the protocol.   Everyone was able to cross without incident.

One of us was able to give out mittens and a hat that belonged to her late husband. The photographer respected the confidentiality of those crossing by taking pictures only of retreating backs, hands and feet.