Sunday September 9, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, US.

A cooler sunny day, about 16C.  At 3.15 pm a young man from Haiti arrived by taxi with a baby boy in a car seat carrier. He said he was entering Canada at Roxham because he 'had no choice.' At 4pm a group of three young people from Rwanda - two women and one man - arrived on foot so it is likely they had been dropped off further south along the road. Next came two sisters from Yemen who arrived by taxi. They were followed by another taxi bringing a young woman from the Democratic Republic of Congo along with two young men from Syria.  And finally at 4.30 pm, a lone man from Pakistan, probably in his 30's, arrived in an airport taxi. When the RCMP mentioned the official border crossing nearby, this seemed to confuse him momentarily, but then he went across.  

The RCMP officers stuck to their protocol and even helped two groups with their luggage. In total 11 people - 10 adults and one baby - crossed into Canada  without incident.

Sunday September 2, 2018.  Afternoon. Roxham Road, US. 

A hot day. 18 people (11 children and 7 adults) crossed into Canada today. Everyone was of African origin but since people were nervous and did not want to talk, we don't know where they came from or how long they might have been in the US.  First a lone woman arrived in a taxi. Next came a family of five (parents and three children). Finally two families arrived in three taxis - a family of five (parents and three children) and a family of seven (parents and five children).  Everyone crossed without incident.

However the RCMP did not always stick to their protocol. At one point the officer said to one group that '' It'll be much better for you to go to the official border crossing.''  This is incorrect as it is possible that someone who goes to the Lacolle port of entry to ask for asylum in Canada will be refused entry and sent back to the United States. This is due to the Safe Third Country Agreement which is the reason why people are crossing irregularly at Roxham Road and other places along the border.  

Sunday, August 26th, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, United States.
Another very warm day and BnB members were present to offer water to asylum seekers.  Also present was a volunteer from Plattsburgh Cares and the photographer who had been there last Sunday.  An unusually high number of crossed into Canada - 12 adults and 12 children.  

First arrived a family of two adults and two children and a woman on her own, all from Nigeria.
Next came another Nigerian family (mother, father and six children) and a woman also from Nigeria.
A single Nigerian man arrived in the third taxi. The next three taxis brought: a French speaking couple (man and woman), a family of six (parents and four children) and finally a single man from Yemen.

The French speaking couple hesitated to cross but once they were told they could cross if they were seeking asylum they entered Canada. The RCMP officers respected their protocol and gave all the asylum seekers the same information: "It is illegal to cross here, if you cross, you are going to be arrested. If you want to cross legally, you have to go the an official border crossing."   Everyone crossed without incident. 

Sunday, August 19th, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, United States.
We arrived at the border at 2.25pm. Crickets singing, ragweed in bloom. Very quiet until 3.45 pm when a taxi arrived with a family of four from Nigeria. A man, woman and two teenage daughters. We offered them water but they already had their own bottles.

At the same time a woman who introduced herself as a social documentarian who has traveled to many countries photographing non-violent protests. She took a photo of the family as they crossed (without incident).

Soon after a single man of African descent came in a taxi and crossed quickly.   At 4pm  another taxi with a single man from Haiti. He also crossed without incident. RCMP officers respected their protocol. 

Sunday, August 12th 2018. Afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA.
A hot summer day. Only 7 people crossed into Canada while we were there. First came a young black French speaking mother with a daughter about 4 years old. She was very nervous.  Nearly an hour later a taxi arrived with a 'white'  man who spoke neither English or French and walked quickly across the border without stopping to listen. Finally came a family of four of African origin– mother, father and two small sons aged about 2 and 3.  One RCMP officer was particularly kind helping the family of four with their bags and saying ‘Its okay now, you’re safe.’  Another officer was on edge with the single man who walked across without stopping.

Sunday, August 5th, 2018. Afternoon. Roxham Road, USA.

A very hot day and many people were happy to accept the cups of water on offer. A total of 12 people crossed into Canada while we were there. First arrived a man from Haiti who was kept standing at the border while the RCMP officer repeated to him that he should go to Lacolle border. He directed the Haitian man to read the poster but it was not clear that he understood what was said to him or what was written there.  He may only have spoken Creole.  Eventually he crossed.

Next came a young man from Syria who crossed without incident. He was followed by a mother and daughter from Zimbabwe who also crossed after listening to the RCMP officer repeat their protocol.  After this a family of four from Columbia arrived and entered Canada. Finally, four people from Ethiopia arrived (two women and two children) and they crossed after listening to the RCMP officer.

Sunday July 29th, 2018.  2.30 pm - 4.30 pm. Roxham Road, USA.
A hot sunny day. A total of 24 people crossed into Canada which is the most we have seen in many weeks.  First came a taxi with an Asian family of three (mother, father and girl aged about 8 years old) and a single man of African origin. They crossed without incident. Next came two taxis with a group of 10 people from the Democratic Republic of Congo: three women, three teenagers (2 girls and one boy) and four small children including one baby. They were happy to take cups of water on offer. They too crossed without incident. Both times the RCMP stuck to their protocol.
 
Next came a single young man in his early 20’s. When we spoke to him he did not appear to understand us. He looked very anxious and fearful and walked straight across the border passing by the RCMP officer who shouted “Stop!” and when the young man continued he shouted “Stop!” again and became very angry yelling at the man: “You f**king stop when I tell you to stop! Don’t you f**king come here like it’s your place, you are f**king under arrest,”.  He then took the young man into the building and slammed the door after them.  We spoke with the taxi driver who had brought the man. The driver said that he had attempted to explain to the young man that he needed to wait at the border until the RCMP spoke to him but that the man did not speak enough English to understand the instructions.

Next a taxi arrived with a group of people from Zimbabwe: two men, a woman, a teenage girl and a baby of 13 months. They took water to drink and then crossed without incident and the same RCMP officer stuck to the protocol.  Finally, a family of four from Mali arrived: mother, father, a boy of about 4 years old and a year-old baby. They had to struggle to get their luggage across the border in one go.  Although it is not part of their protocol, the RCMP asked them where they were from. First the man replied “New York” and then when asked again, said they were from Mali. They then crossed into Canada. 

 Sunday July 22nd, 2018. Afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA.
BnB volunteers were present from 2:30 - 4:00 pm.  Seven people crossed.

At 3 pm a single man, who spoke English, came by taxi. His crossing was quick and smooth.

At 3:45 a taxi and a mini van arrived.  An older, probably Haitian woman, emerged from the taxi. She hesitated when she was told she would be arrested and spent 5 minutes listening to the RCMP who kept saying 'go to Lacolle, you will be sent back if you cross here.' 

The family (woman, man and pre-school child) who came in the mini van were right behind her.  They listened to what was being said to the lone woman and then began crossing ahead of her. That was when the older woman decided to cross.  

Finally  a Spanish speaking  man and woman arrived. When they were asked what language they spoke, the RCMP officer called his supervisor who spoke to them in Spanish. They quickly crossed.

Sunday July 15th, 2018. Afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA.
Crossing the border we were asked many questions as to why we were going to Roxham Road, including asking if we were reporters.

We arrived at 2.35pm just as a taxi was leaving. We asked the RCMP Officers but they did not want to tell us how many people had been in the taxi. They asked us questions about why were were there and what we were doing.

At 3.45pm a taxi arrived with a Nigerian man and woman. The woman was quite nervous but smiled at our welcome and gratefully took some ice cold water.  No one else came.

Sunday July 8th, 2018. Early afternoon.  Roxham Road, USA
It's another exceptionally hot day in the midst of a heat wave.  We arrived armed with water and cups.  Only one taxi and one person arrive while we are here.  At 3.30pm a young woman in her early 20's leaves the taxi and walks straight for the border, looking terrified.  She does not want to stop or take any water.  

She approaches the RCMP officer who says: 'Arrêt ! Arrêt!'   She kept on going and then stops.  He tells her in an angry tone (in French): 'When I tell you to stop, that means stop. What did you think I meant?'   Her response was very quiet. He then asks ' What country do you come from?'  She says Haiti.  He then asks ' When was the last time you were in Haiti? How long have you been in the US?'   She said she had been there for six months.  In an unpleasant tone he pointed to the notice at the border and told her the protocol (it is illegal to cross here. You will be arrested etc). He then said 'It's your choice.' She said she understood and she was able to cross into Canada.