Trump re elected, tsunami level refugee crisis approaching? 3000 additional police officers are on high alert at the Canadian border!
When US President elect Trump vowed to crack down on illegal immigration during his campaign, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) was closely monitoring the situation. As Canada's federal police, the Mounted Police have been preparing for several months for the possibility of a large number of border crossers in response to Trump's promise of "mass deportation of millions of illegal immigrants".
Now that the former president has been re elected, the Royal Mounted Police are on high alert.
If there is a surge, the police expect it to happen before Trump's inauguration in January next year.
Image source: CTV News
The ongoing question is how many people may enter Canada and whether Canadian authorities have sufficient resources to respond.
Royal Mounted Police spokesperson Sgt Charles Poirier told CTV News on Thursday, "We're starting to plan because we know there are many people in the United States who are worried about being deported, and if that happens, they won't wait until the Trump administration takes office and are likely to try to enter Canada in the coming weeks
The Royal Mounted Police are preparing for various possible scenarios, including dealing with the worst-case scenario of immigration waves along the approximately 800 kilometer Quebec US border. This includes deploying additional police officers at the border, including in forest areas. In addition, there are plans to purchase or rent space for temporary resettlement of immigrants, purchase more police cars, and dispatch police officers from other provinces, similar to the response after the 2016 US election.
Poirier said, "All options are under consideration, and ultimately, if someone crosses the border, we must arrest them. We will invest all resources to ensure the arrest of all those who enter
Image source: CTV News
Shortage of border labor
However, the labor shortage at the Canadian border has raised concerns, and increasing manpower will bring more challenges.
The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU), representing frontline customs and immigration officers of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), has stated that an additional 2000 to 3000 officers are needed to effectively carry out the mission.
CIU spokesperson Pierre St Jacques said in an email, "This is a long-standing issue. If the government wants to have the ability to respond to any additional pressure at the border, regardless of the reasons, ensuring sufficient CBSA personnel is crucial
After Trump's first election in 2016, a large number of asylum seekers began illegally entering Canada, mainly through Roxham Road on the Quebec border. These people took advantage of a loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires people to apply for asylum in the first country they arrive in. Last year, Canada and the United States amended their agreement and closed Roxham Road.
Image source: CTV News
Chantal Ianniiello, Vice President of Humanitarian Aid at the Quebec Immigration Lawyers Association, stated that the only way to seek asylum in Canada from the United States now is to illegally enter and avoid inspection for more than two weeks, as the revised agreement applies to individuals who have filed an asylum application within 14 days of crossing the border.
Minister of Public Safety: Be prepared to respond to any situation
Quebec Governor Lego is concerned about a large number of people entering the province and calls on the federal government to act quickly to ensure sufficient border personnel.
He said on Wednesday, "I want to ensure that Trudeau and the federal government take this matter seriously
On Thursday, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the reopening of the Special Cabinet Committee on Canada US Relations, focusing on "key" issues between the two countries. Immigration Minister Mark Miller is also on the committee.
Public Safety Minister LeBron stated that he is aware of the emergency plans of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Border Services Agency, but did not disclose specific details. He said, 'I believe Canadians should have confidence in the work and plans they have done over the past few months to mitigate any potential risks.' He added that he does not expect the worst to happen at the border.
Source link:
https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/rcmp-already-on-high-alert-for-potential-wave-of-migrants-after-trump-election-1.7102193