Record summer in asylum claims at Lacolle border in Quebec

Under the effect of Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies, the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing in Quebec recorded a record number of asylum applications this summer.

In July 2025 alone, it received 3,493 applications, five times more than in the same period last year.

The same trend can be observed in August, where 1,370 applications had been submitted by Aug. 24, compared to only 433 for the whole month in 2024.

This surge is directly linked to recent decisions by the U.S. government and Donald Trump terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of more than 500,000 migrants, including about 320,000 Haitians, ordered to leave the United States starting in Sept.

Although a federal judge has extended this deadline until Feb. 2026, uncertainty and the threat of deportation are already pushing many migrants to Canada.

Deprived of legal status south of the border, some can make a refugee claim in Canada despite the Safe Third Country Agreement.

This agreement provides for a few exceptions. If claimants have family members in Canada they’re still allowed to apply for asylum. It is in this context that the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle station has become a hotspot for arrivals.

The increased traffic at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing has been observed since the beginning of the year. Between Jan.1 and Aug. 24, 2025, 12,498 asylum claims were filed, more than double the number last year for the same period.

While the number of land entries is increasing compared to 2024, it remains lower than the volume recorded when Roxham Road was open. Quebec continues to remain the main gateway to Canada, receiving about three-quarters of new applicants, mainly due to its geographic location that makes crossing easier and safer.  

Asylum claims across Canada down

While asylum claims at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing have increased, at other ports of entry into Canada arrivals are decreasing.

This overall decline in the country is mainly due to the massive decline in arrivals of asylum seekers by air.

Between Jan. and June 2025, the CBSA processed 6275 applications at airports, compared to 27,840 in 2024 for the same period, a drop of 78 per cent.

The RCMP intercepted 701 people who crossed the border irregularly, including 441 in Quebec, similar to 2024 data for the same period

At the same time, the increase in applications in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle has been accompanied by a record number of removals to the United States under the Safe Third Country Agreement.