Sunday March 10th in the evening and Sunday March 17th in the afternoon. Roxham Road, USA.
No one came to Roxham Road when we were there on these two dates.  This reflects the decrease in the arrivals of people at Roxham Road in 2019.

So far this year,  871 refugees arrived in January and 800 in February.  This is 48% less than the numbers from 2018:  in January 2018 1,458 people entered through Roxham Road and in February the number was 1,486 people. 

Sunday, March 3  2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
A relatively mild day, we were able to stay outside without starting to freeze! In total six people crossed into Canada while we were there. None of the people who crossed were wearing winter boots, or good winter coats.

Two men of African origin men arrived first.  We could not make out where they said they were from. They were happy to take hats and scarves.  About a half hour later a taxi brought an African woman with a 2-year old girl child. She was not interested in any warm things. The taxi driver told us they  were from Swaziland (a small country in southern Africa).

Shortly after, another taxi brought a young man from Ethiopia who was happy to put on a woollen hat, scarf and gloves.  He crossed just after the woman and little girl crossed and he was made to wait outside the building for several minutes. We were glad he was protected from the cold.

The last person to arrive by taxi was a young woman from Lebanon. She spoke very little English, but was happy to take gloves and a scarf. We gave her a hug and wished her well in Canada.

The RCMP officers were friendly. One of them asked the man from Ethiopia where he was from, but other than that they stuck to their protocol.

Sunday, February 27  2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, US.
Only one person crossed into Canada while we were there.  A man of African origin arrived in the taxi. He did not say much but was happy to get mitts and a scarf.  The RCMP officers respected their protocol and he crossed into Canada without incident.

Sunday,  February 17th 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA. 
A cold winter day at the border.  While we were there a total of 8 people (4 adults and four children) crossed into Canada. 

The first taxi to arrive brought a friendly man in his early thirties. He spoke little English and said he came from Yemen via Saudi Arabia.   He spoke Arabic with the taxi driver. He did not need any warm things  (although he was only wearing shoes).  The RCMP officer spoke to him stating the protocol. At first he hesitated and the officer repeated the message. Finally the taxi driver said in Arabic 'Go, go go!'. He then crossed into Canada.

Next arrived a young woman from Uganda. She was very nervous but open to talking with us. She accepted several warm things and we exchanged a hug before she went to the border's edge. She waited there (as we explained to her) but no RCMP officer came. After a couple of minutes an officer stuck his head outside the building and said, 'You are under arrest, come over.' and she went.

Finally came a taxi with two families of African origin. One family was a young woman with a baby and the second was a woman in her late 30's with three children (aged about 14, 10 and 8).No one was dressed appropriately for the cold and they accepted some warm things.   They went to the border and walked toward the RCMP officer who told them to stop more than once,  but the woman with the baby, who was in front just walked by him and the rest followed. The officer was very angry and stopped them outside the building and  told them they were under arrest. He berated them and asked 'Why didn't you stop when I told you? Then he started asking  questions including:  'Where's the father?'   ' What documents do you have?'  He then took the woman with the baby inside the building and made the other family wait outside in the cold despite their inadequate clothing.  They waited about 10  minutes before he took them inside.  

Sunday, February 10th 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
The RCMP officer said it had been a quiet day so far. Just before 4pm a taxi brought one person, 
a Spanish speaking man about mid 30's in age. He didn't take any warm things on offer and went straight over. Two RCMP officers met him, one of them speaking in Spanish. He crossed over without any problems.  One of us asked the taxi driver if he knew where he asylum seeker was from.
He said "He speaks Spanish and I think he's either from Palestine or Mexico".  :) 

Sunday, February 3rd 2019.  Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
no one came today while we were there!

Sunday, January 27th, 2019.  Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
A cold sunny afternoon.   While we were there two groups of people arrived at Roxham and a total of 6 people crossed into Canada: three adults and three children.

The first taxi brought a man from Haiti and his daughter of about 7 years old. He was anxious to cross and did not need extra warm things. The officer spoke to him in French and they crossed without incident.

Later a taxi arrived with a family from Nicaragua: mother, father, 8 year old boy and a baby about 10 months or so old.  We gave a couple of warm things.  Mom was carrying the baby and she was very scared.  Before she went to the border, she said 'God bless you.' and exchanged a hug with one of the volunteers. 

This visit was cancelled due to bad weather conditions and the cancellation of buses going to Plattsburgh.  

Wednesday January 16th, 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA
A BNB volunteer was there with two  volunteers from Plattsburgh Cares. Five people crossed while we were there.  Four adults and one teenager.

The first taxi brought two people: a woman of African origin who spoke English and was happy to receive a pair of boots and some warm accessories and a man from Angola who spoke a bit of Spanish (his mother tongue is Portuguese). He was very scared about being arrested.  Before they crossed, some warm hugs were exchanged.

The next and last taxi to come brought three people from Rwanda: a mother and teenage son and a man.  The adults needed some warm accessories and the man was given a very warm coat.  Everyone was apprehensive. Again more hugs were exchanged before people entered Canada.

The RCMP officers respected their script and every one crossed without incident.

Sunday, January 13th, 2019. Afternoon at Roxham Road, USA.
​No one arrived while we were there!