‘Disturbing’: Advocates slam closure of Roxham Road after migrants rushed to irregular crossing

Advocates say the closure of the unofficial Canada-US border crossing south of Montreal at Roxham Road is disturbing and a decision they say was rushed.

“My concern and our concern and even lawyers is that they’re going to find a way to come to Canada,” said Frantz André of the Action Committee for people without Status (CAPSS).

It was closed at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, after a deal with the United States was officially made public on Friday afternoon when President Joe Biden was in Ottawa.

This is very disturbing because you have people in the States that were supposed to be here,one minute after they crossed the border and they’re in limbo,” he said.

Since the closure, the Canadian Border Services Agency tell CityNews that they’ve processed a total of 14 cases at Roxham Road: eight were returned to the U.S. and six were deemed eligible to make an asylum claim in Canada.

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For André, who works with asylum seekers and migrants, he says the move will not limit the number of people making their way in Canada, but will only further endanger their lives.

Roxham Road area, March 27, 2023. (CREDIT: Matt Tornabene, CityNews Image)

“We’ve seen what happened December 23rd with Fritznel Richard trying to go back in the States. We see what happened over a month ago from Mr. Cervantes is who actually went back to the States and died,” he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that Canada will keep looking at what is needed to secure the borders and to show that the country has an immigration system that works for Canadians.

“What I see is that we have 172,000 Ukrainians that were invited, within the plane and you have the red carpet and giving them special benefits and advantages,” André said. “And we have 40,000 people that came south and we’re not able to give them the same services.”