I arrived  at Roxham with a researcher from Toronto Metropolitan University around 3:25pm after being chastised by the border agent on the way who repeatedly said “that’s none of your business” after questioning our intentions. Shortly after we arrived a Borderline taxi driven by George  arrived with 3 passengers: an obviously pregnant woman and a teenager who seemed to be her daughter and a lone young man.

The women had lots of luggage which George helped them with. They were African or Haitian who spoke only French and seemed nervous. The young man was a tall fellow who spoke English easily and thanked us for our well wishes. He looked about 30ish.

The RCMP officers were matter of fact in both languages and whisked them into the tent. George lingered a while chatting with us. He said he never leaves until they’re across.  He also told us that they were the only 3 off the bus. He’s been doing this run for 6 years, first with his brother Chris. Now he works with his wife  and his sister. He deplored people overcharging refugees and also spoke fondly of the dedication of the Plattsburgh Cares volunteer, saying everyone had a right to a decent life. He asked if we knew that politicians wanted to close Roxham. We talked a bit about Legault and he said ‘sounds like Trump’. He gave us his cards before leaving and invited the researcher to get in touch if she had questions.

It was pleasant enough even in the heat and I think the researcher had a good experience. I was grateful that the lineup to return was short.

It was a warm and sunny afternoon when we arrived at Roxham at 3pm.

Shortly after arriving we were accosted (across the border) by one of the RCMP officers who quite aggressively gave us a long lecture about not giving out hats, mitts etc and stuffed animals to children because of problems with bed bugs and COVID contamination. Stuffed animals that were not placed inside luggage before crossing would be taken from children and disposed of. Of course this would be upsetting for children. It did not make a lot of sense and we have since asked for clarification from the officer in charge of Roxham, as to whether this is official policy. Our friends from Plattsburgh Cares do give out stuffed animals and report that children respond very positively to this gesture.

Shortly thereafter a small family from Zimbabwe arrived – the woman was carrying a small baby on her shoulder. We explained that they would be arrested but this was temporary. The man looked alarmed and said they had had a very long and difficult journey to get there. This same officer spoke harshly to them at the border’s edge. The man looked back uncertainly and then they crossed over and were ushered into the tent. We were able to see the officer using a metal detector to check the family members.

We then waited until nearly 4.30 pm when three taxis arrived at once. One taxi brought a friendly Nigerian woman with a young child under 2 in a push chair. She was very fearful and seemed to appreciate the reassurances we gave her. We helped her bring her luggage to the borders edge. Two officers dealt with them in a quiet respectful way and helped her with her luggage.

Another taxi brought three individuals: a Turkish woman in her late 20s, a man from Columbia and a man from Yemen. The officer first mentioned above spoke harshly to them and they crossed over to wait outside the tent.

The last taxi brought three adults and two children: a couple with a toddler aged about 2 or 3 and a Haitian woman with a very small baby in a car seat. There was a certain amount of chaos by this time and they crossed over without incident.

Officers were taking people with children first inside the tent so those without children waited sometime outside before they were brought inside the tent.

In total we saw 13 people today - 9 adults and four children.

We arrived at about 3:10 pm and left at 4:30 pm without meeting anyone, nor did we encounter any taxis as we made our way back to Champlain Village.

We met the same American border guard as last week and he remembered us and waved us through. The Canadian agent asked us why we didn’t send money to refugees instead of crossing the border to wish them well 😳.

At about 4:00 pm a taxi brought a man from Haiti and a woman from Colombia. The woman seemed quite nervous but fortunately the RCMP officer addressed her politely in Spanish.  Both crossed quickly.
Over half an hour later a private car with Maine licence plates delivered 3 adults, an adolescent and a young child, all from Congo.  After being told that they would be arrested everyone crossed calmly.  Between 4:00 and 4:45 pm a total of 7 people crossed.

We arrived at 3.15pm on a warm, sunny afternoon. A family, who had arrived before us, was being ‘processed’ in the tent outside the RCMP building. We noticed that two portable toilets had recently been installed outside the tent, presumably for people waiting to go inside.

There were also two technicians on the US side carrying out an upgrade to the surveillance equipment – video, lighting, radar etc. One of them told us that this new technology is the same as has been in use on the US- Mexico border and is now being installed on the northern border. He said it had paid ‘big dividends’ on the southern border, meaning it enabled Border Police to catch more desperate people trying to enter the US, to detain and then send many of them back to Mexico.  It seems  pointless to do this at Roxham Road, a place where people are openly crossing and presenting themselves to Canadian police! US border police are not looking to ‘capture’ them.

We met four taxis who arrived this afternoon. The first taxi brought five people: a family of three (with one small child) from Haiti, a Haitian woman and a Nigerian man. The RCMP officer spoke to them in an aggressive way asking “where are you from?’’ and getting angry because some people did not have masks. We gave them some masks. Asking where people come from is not part of the RCMP protocol and is not relevant since it does not in any way affect whether someone can cross at Roxham or not. It is however, intimidating to people who are seeking protection in Canada and may fear that their nationality might affect their ability to cross.

The second taxi brought a Nigerian woman and her little girl aged about 6 years old. They had four pieces of luggage, including two large heavy cases. The same officer spoke to her harshly and again asked ‘where are you from’ and made a fuss about masks (we gave her one). One of us brought one of her heavy cases to the edge of the border and the officer told us to stop since ‘she has to make up her mind (about crossing)’. The RCMP continue to give people the misleading information that ''If you want to cross ‘legally’ you can go to the official border crossing at Lacolle.” The police know there is a high likelihood, if they were to do so, that they will be excluded from Canada under the Safe Third Country Agreement. Since 2018 we have met several times with RCMP representatives and raised this issue amongst others. See information HERE that explains why none crossing at Roxham is illegal.

The third taxi brought three young men from Yemen, Haiti and Venezuela. A second officer spoke to them in a straightforward manner and waved them across. No unnecessary questions were asked.

The final taxi brought a family of four from Jordan (with two young children). The father was struggling with their luggage and again we helped to bring it to the edge of the border. The first RCMP officer spoke to them with the same harsh approach.

In total we greeted 14 people today – four children and ten adults.

Today changed from hot and muggy to rainy and chilly in a matter of minutes, causing the refugees to dig for jackets just as they were preparing to cross the border.  Thank goodness they didn’t have to stand outside in a downpour.
One group of 4 adults and 2 small children from the Democratic Republic of Congo were quickly followed by 3 adults and 1 young child from Ghana.  Everyone seemed calm.
The RCMP were following their protocol when receiving the refugees.

We got to the border around 3:00 pm. We picked up garbage and took a few poignant photos of things left behind (see photos)... Cell phone, torn up documents, food containers, a baby sandal, a juice box, next to the orange cone.

At 3:30 pm, three taxis pulled up. The taxi driver told us they were all French-speaking, from DR Congo, and possibly other African countries. There were 3 women, 3 children (all children seemed to be in one family, including an infant), and 9 men. 

They were recited the usual 'welcome' of "Do not cross here it is an Illegal crossing. If you cross here, you will be put under arrest....You can go cross at the legal port of entry a few miles East of here....". They were made to stand outside and processed small group by small group, going into the plastic tent. (It must be very hot there in the summer heat?) Luckily the group with kids went first. They were asked to put their cell phones in their suitcase, and they could put money (bills and necessary medication in their pockets). Cards were to be put in their suitcases.

At 3:45 pm, a fourth taxi pulled up with three men in it, also French-speaking, dressed in winter coats. There was only one RCMP officer watching the first outside group at that time, so the newcomers were not greeted, nor given the "welcome spiel". They just  crossed and joined the other group, so RCMP protocol was not followed.

It was 4:15 pm when the last person went into the tent. It was very buggy, and at 4:05 pm the guard watching the group outside went in to get some bug spray, leaving the group unattended for a short while.

A total of 18 people crossed during the time we were there. We left around 4:45 pm.

A very warm and sunny afternoon.  We arrived before 3.30pm and stayed until 5pm.  We spend the waiting time picking up garbage.  

After awhile, a taxi arrived with two people from the Democratic Republic of Congo - a man and woman who are not a couple. They both seem ok and seem to be well informed about what will happen.  The RCMP officer explains the situation and says that if they want to cross "legally'' they can go to Lacolle port of entry.  He says 'it's your choice'.   They cross without incident.

Very soon after that a family from Columbia arrives - mother, father and a boy about 8 years old. They speak only Spanish and we are able to offer a simple greeting.  They seem apprehensive about what will happen.  I doubt they understood what the RCMP officer told them, but they crossed quickly into Canada. 

Both the taxi drivers were very friendly. No one else arrived while we were there. A total of 5 people crossed- 4 adults and one child.

I had quite a long wait at the small Lacolle border (Route 221).  There were 2 cars ahead of me that both took a long time.  It seems that the border guard on duty was in quite a chatty mood.  When it was finally my turn, the guard, a fellow in his late 30's or early 40's, didn't so much interrogate me as "inform" me of his opinions on refugees.  After I told him that I was a member of a volunteer group concerned with the welfare of refugees entering Canada at Roxham Road, his first comment was something like "don't you know those people are at the bottom of the barrel? They have no education, no job skills and all they want is a free ride from the government.  Most of them are criminals and pedophiles.  If they can't get what they want in Canada they'll just come back here."  Stunned by what he was saying and aware that I'd better not start a fight with him, I gently reminded him that anyone not deemed acceptable by the Canadian refugee revue board would be returned to their home country.  He said, "I prefer the word 'deportation'.  That sounds right to me.  They all say they're leaving some kind of war.  There's no war. You and I, we work for our living.  Why should those people expect us to support them?". Then he told me of a case he knew about where an Olympic athlete had raped a child.  I was getting anxious to leave, so I agreed that it was a horrible thing (relevance not withstanding). There was more to his rant but that's about the gist of it. Finally he handed me my passport and cheerfully wished me a good afternoon. 

I got a little bit lost in Champlain village which delayed me again but I did make it to the border by 4:00.  Unfortunately the bus had arrived early in Plattsburgh so I just missed the arrivals of people who wanted to cross.  Paula, a freelance journalist was there as well as 2 Radio Canada journalists who are preparing a piece for Enquête.  They told me that there were only about half a dozen people who crossed -- a Haitian, 2 Colombians and several people from different African countries.  No children.  A volunteer from Plattsburgh Cares arrived just as I was getting ready to leave so I had a nice chat with her.

Next time I will leave earlier to allow for early buses and obnoxious border guards.  At least I know the route now!!

On my way back, the young Canadian border guard was very interested in what was going on at Roxham.  He wondered what nationalities were coming through.  He surely had a different take on refugees than the American guard did!

We  arrived at the American side of Roxham at around 3:45 on a beautiful afternoon.
We noticed a masked woman on the Canadian side of the road and at first  thought she was an RCMP officer and wondered why she was standing on the road and not by the facilities. We spoke with her and discovered that she was a journalist photographer for Reuters (from Montreal) who'd come to observe and take photos and had been there since 9:30 am.  She had only seen three refugees crossing since that time.  In 2019 or so she'd participated in a story about the Plattsburgh taxi drivers delivering refugee claimants to Roxham. We explained to her about  Bridges not Borders' and Plattsburgh Cares' involvement over the past few years. She asked if we minded being photographed and we said ok.

At 4:05 pm a van arrived with a man and woman with a baby,  another couple with no children and 2 other men. Some (or perhaps all) were from Haiti. They accepted some gloves and hats and the baby had 2 finger puppets. We were able to watch the couple with the baby being checked out as they were brought into a tented area attached to the RCMP building. Afterwards an RCMP officer told us that they had to take the hand-held items away from the family who were Covid positive. He acknowledged the helpful gesture but said that it only slowed down their process and was not useful, especially if there were longer lineups. He thought that we were American volunteers. 

At 4:45 pm a black car with tinted windows swooped in and left, leaving a man wearing a t-shirt and jeans and carrying a small backpack. He barely looked at us and presented himself to an officer who asked him if he spoke English or French. He said Kurdish and Turkey and stepped towards the officer who arrested him.  So while we were there, only 8 people crossed: 2 women, 5 men and one baby.

Before leaving I asked the photographer if an article would be published sometime and she said that Anna Maher of Reuters would be writing something that could be found on Tuesday (April 26th).   It was a pleasant afternoon for us but I don't think the arriving refugees noticed!