Bridges not Borders:
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Déclaration sur Roxham Road -- en français |
21 March 2020
Closing Roxham Road: a rash decision
The border between Canada and the United States is closed to all non-essential traffic. As of March 20th, this now includes people who have been crossing irregularly into Canada to seek asylum at Roxham Road. They will now be turned back to the USA where they are at risk of being detained. Both the Prime Minister and Minister Blair have stated that closing Roxham Road is temporary and will last as long as the border remains closed.
We Can Fight the Pandemic and Uphold Human Rights
Canadians are justifiably very concerned about the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, the government has chosen to abandon the safe and prudent plan they had introduced, which was to place all irregular asylum seekers into mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
With Roxham Road closed, people seeking refuge may try to cross the border at other places which puts their lives at risk as we have seen in past years. Asylum seekers are also vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers who are only interested in profits and are indifferent to the safety of those they exploit.
It’s not possible to prevent people trying to cross a border that is over 6000 kms long and the RCMP cannot patrol the whole border. It is much safer to enable people to cross at one place and then be taken in charge, especially during a pandemic. Under the new policy, the RCMP may well have to carry out policing and rescue missions along the border, which will require more resources for both the RCMP and the health care system.
Canada has made a commitment to offer protection to people who seek refuge here, while their refugee claim is decided. In 1969 we ratified the UN Refugee Convention and later passed laws to protect refugee claimants. Despite this, we will now turn back vulnerable asylum seekers back to the USA, a country that is manifestly unsafe for those seeking refuge, with a president who openly disdains them (see Why for more details) If detained they may also be exposed to Covid 19 in crowded detention settings.
We should not give in to fearful reactions, but rather think about the consequences of our actions. This abrupt change in policy was unnecessary and puts refugees at risk. Roxham Road should remain open. Upholding human rights and containing the pandemic are not exclusive. We can do both.
Closing Roxham Road: a rash decision
The border between Canada and the United States is closed to all non-essential traffic. As of March 20th, this now includes people who have been crossing irregularly into Canada to seek asylum at Roxham Road. They will now be turned back to the USA where they are at risk of being detained. Both the Prime Minister and Minister Blair have stated that closing Roxham Road is temporary and will last as long as the border remains closed.
We Can Fight the Pandemic and Uphold Human Rights
Canadians are justifiably very concerned about the spread of Covid-19. Unfortunately, the government has chosen to abandon the safe and prudent plan they had introduced, which was to place all irregular asylum seekers into mandatory quarantine for 14 days.
With Roxham Road closed, people seeking refuge may try to cross the border at other places which puts their lives at risk as we have seen in past years. Asylum seekers are also vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers who are only interested in profits and are indifferent to the safety of those they exploit.
It’s not possible to prevent people trying to cross a border that is over 6000 kms long and the RCMP cannot patrol the whole border. It is much safer to enable people to cross at one place and then be taken in charge, especially during a pandemic. Under the new policy, the RCMP may well have to carry out policing and rescue missions along the border, which will require more resources for both the RCMP and the health care system.
Canada has made a commitment to offer protection to people who seek refuge here, while their refugee claim is decided. In 1969 we ratified the UN Refugee Convention and later passed laws to protect refugee claimants. Despite this, we will now turn back vulnerable asylum seekers back to the USA, a country that is manifestly unsafe for those seeking refuge, with a president who openly disdains them (see Why for more details) If detained they may also be exposed to Covid 19 in crowded detention settings.
We should not give in to fearful reactions, but rather think about the consequences of our actions. This abrupt change in policy was unnecessary and puts refugees at risk. Roxham Road should remain open. Upholding human rights and containing the pandemic are not exclusive. We can do both.
update: 29 march 2020
A spokesperson for the US Customs and Border Protection agency stated (see Media) that people returned to the US will be promptly deported back to their home countries, thus placing them at risk of persecution, torture and death. This undermines the cornerstone of international refugee protection that Canada has pledged to uphold: the principle of non-refoulement.** People seeking asylum should never be sent back to the very countries they have fled, without being able to apply for asylum, as is their right.
The Deputy Minister Chrystia Freeland has said the Canadian government is negotiating with the US to prevent this happening, but the Trump administration has shown a callous disregard for the safety of people seeking refuge. We are closely following this issue.
** Article 33 (1) of the 1951 Refugee Convention:
'' No Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”
UPDATE: May 7th 2020
As of April 22nd 2020, the government has opened up the border to allow certain asylum seekers to enter Canada via official Ports of Entry. These are people who fall under one of the exceptions to the Safe Third Country Agreement with the US. They will be in quarantine for 14 days. See the full details Here.
Bridges Not Borders strongly supports this decision to allow some people in need of refugee protection to enter Canada. This is a move in the right direction to respect our international commitments to asylum seekers. However, as was the case before the pandemic, those who do not meet one of the exceptions will be sent back to the US and, it is likely, will not be able to apply for asylum in Canada again.
The current 30 day closure of the border with the US expires on May 21st, when it can be renewed for a further 30 days. This closure affects Roxham Road and anyone arrested after entering Canada irregularly, at any place along the border, will be sent back to the US. The government has said that the closure of Roxham is a temporary measure and refugee groups are following this closely to help ensure that this is so. Unfortunately as of today, the US government has still Not confirmed that asylum seekers sent back to the US will not be detained or sent back to their home countries (see above at March 29 entry).
We will continue to monitor the situation!
UPDATE May 28th, 2020 Bridges Not Borders Press Release
Asylum Seekers are Caring for Us During the Pandemic. Let’s Make Their Status Secure.
Hundreds of people who crossed the border irregularly to seek asylum during the past three years have found work in long-term care facilities. There were many job openings available in these facilities because the work is difficult and poorly paid. Covid19 has meant that these healthcare jobs have become particularly risky: many asylum seekers working as orderlies have fallen ill with the virus and one of them has died: Marcelin Francois, a Haitian man. Their efforts are all the more noteworthy when you consider they don’t have access to subsidized daycare or the Quebec health care card. Neither are they protected by the Commission on workplace health and safety norms.
This reality has exposed the stark contrast between the precarious status of these asylum seekers and the dangerous work that they are doing for our society. In response to this, there have been numerous appeals to the Canadian and Quebec governments. Bridges Not Borders adds its voice to these appeals. We are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to implement a regularization program for asylum seekers who are engaged in essential work. The contribution of health care workers is most visible during a pandemic, but asylum seekers with precarious status also provide essential work for our society in our grocery stores, food processing plants, and many other at-risk places. They too should be included in these appeals.
Bridges Not Borders is a community group in the Hemmingford area of southern Quebec, offering support to people seeking asylum via Roxham Road. For two and a half years we have welcomed refugees on Roxham Road before they enter Canada. We know the difficulties they face to travel to Canada and the many prejudices and misinformation that have been circulating about them. We often hear them called ‘fake refugees’ but the figures don’t bear that out since a majority of their claims for refugee status that are decided by the IRB are positive.
We call upon the Canadian and Quebec governments to agree upon a process to regularize the status of these essential workers as quickly as possible, enabling them to continue their vital work without the terrible stress of uncertainty about their future and that of their families. It’s time to give them as much compassion as they have shown us.
The Deputy Minister Chrystia Freeland has said the Canadian government is negotiating with the US to prevent this happening, but the Trump administration has shown a callous disregard for the safety of people seeking refuge. We are closely following this issue.
** Article 33 (1) of the 1951 Refugee Convention:
'' No Contracting State shall expel or return (“refouler”) a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.”
UPDATE: May 7th 2020
As of April 22nd 2020, the government has opened up the border to allow certain asylum seekers to enter Canada via official Ports of Entry. These are people who fall under one of the exceptions to the Safe Third Country Agreement with the US. They will be in quarantine for 14 days. See the full details Here.
Bridges Not Borders strongly supports this decision to allow some people in need of refugee protection to enter Canada. This is a move in the right direction to respect our international commitments to asylum seekers. However, as was the case before the pandemic, those who do not meet one of the exceptions will be sent back to the US and, it is likely, will not be able to apply for asylum in Canada again.
The current 30 day closure of the border with the US expires on May 21st, when it can be renewed for a further 30 days. This closure affects Roxham Road and anyone arrested after entering Canada irregularly, at any place along the border, will be sent back to the US. The government has said that the closure of Roxham is a temporary measure and refugee groups are following this closely to help ensure that this is so. Unfortunately as of today, the US government has still Not confirmed that asylum seekers sent back to the US will not be detained or sent back to their home countries (see above at March 29 entry).
We will continue to monitor the situation!
UPDATE May 28th, 2020 Bridges Not Borders Press Release
Asylum Seekers are Caring for Us During the Pandemic. Let’s Make Their Status Secure.
Hundreds of people who crossed the border irregularly to seek asylum during the past three years have found work in long-term care facilities. There were many job openings available in these facilities because the work is difficult and poorly paid. Covid19 has meant that these healthcare jobs have become particularly risky: many asylum seekers working as orderlies have fallen ill with the virus and one of them has died: Marcelin Francois, a Haitian man. Their efforts are all the more noteworthy when you consider they don’t have access to subsidized daycare or the Quebec health care card. Neither are they protected by the Commission on workplace health and safety norms.
This reality has exposed the stark contrast between the precarious status of these asylum seekers and the dangerous work that they are doing for our society. In response to this, there have been numerous appeals to the Canadian and Quebec governments. Bridges Not Borders adds its voice to these appeals. We are calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to implement a regularization program for asylum seekers who are engaged in essential work. The contribution of health care workers is most visible during a pandemic, but asylum seekers with precarious status also provide essential work for our society in our grocery stores, food processing plants, and many other at-risk places. They too should be included in these appeals.
Bridges Not Borders is a community group in the Hemmingford area of southern Quebec, offering support to people seeking asylum via Roxham Road. For two and a half years we have welcomed refugees on Roxham Road before they enter Canada. We know the difficulties they face to travel to Canada and the many prejudices and misinformation that have been circulating about them. We often hear them called ‘fake refugees’ but the figures don’t bear that out since a majority of their claims for refugee status that are decided by the IRB are positive.
We call upon the Canadian and Quebec governments to agree upon a process to regularize the status of these essential workers as quickly as possible, enabling them to continue their vital work without the terrible stress of uncertainty about their future and that of their families. It’s time to give them as much compassion as they have shown us.