Undocumented immigrants who cross the northern border between the United States and Canada will be arrested and returned without permission to seek asylum, both countries announced this Friday after a meeting between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The agreement goes into effect at midnight this Friday.
In a joint statement, both governments stated that they are ready to “make an agreement to apply the Safe Third Country Agreement to asylum seekers who pass between ports of entry” and thereby “deter irregular migration to our common border”.
The Safe Third Country Convention requires that, if an alien immigrant crosses from the United States to Canada or vice versa, they must first seek asylum in the first country, or else they will be detained and deported.
Both countries also mentioned the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection signed in June of last year, which calls for the causes of irregular immigration and joint work between the governments of North America and Central America to resist the flight of thousands of people. poverty, lack of opportunity, climate change, government corruption and drug trafficking.
The agreement “states our belief that irregular migration requires a regional approach to disseminate legal avenues and humane management goals, and recognizes that we must address the economic and security factors of migration. The United States and Canada continue to be committed partners in promoting the principles of the Declaration,” a document released this Friday by both it was read signed by the leaders.
The statement notes that “as part of its commitment to these principles, Canada will accept an additional 15,000 humanitarian migrations from the Western Hemisphere over the course of the year to expand safe and regular routes through the hemisphere as an alternative to irregular migration offered. .
The path of the agreement
The agreement is the result of talks between the two countries after a record in recent months in the number of foreign nationals who enter the United States through the northern border without permission, circumventing the border restrictions imposed with Mexico. And also to the arrival of undocumented immigrants arriving in Canada seeking asylum after failing to obtain protection in the United States.
The day before, the media in Canada and the United States reported that the embassies had reached an agreement that would allow the immigration authorities of both nations to deport an asylum seeker who crossed the northern border without permission.
The agreement signed this Friday added to several of Biden’s other immigration plans to control illegal entry into the country. And most importantly, to discourage foreigners who flee their countries seeking asylum in the United States to do so through legal channels.
On January 5, Biden announced a temporary asylum program that would require citizens of Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua to control their entry with a prior sponsor’s immigration service. Those who obtain sponsorship must be granted an entry permit (proceed on parole) and enter the country by air with a valid passport.
Venezuela has participated in this program since October 12 last year. The foreigner will receive admission and work time permits. But if they cannot stay for two years using any right, they must leave the country.
Remaining undocumented immigrants who seek to enter the United States must do so by first logging into CBP’s One Page, an active program, including applying for asylum, and obtaining a nomination or notice of appearance to appear at the port of entry.
What does the Los Angeles Declaration say?
In June of last year, the countries of the Western Hemisphere meeting in Los Angeles, California, within the 4th summit of the Americas, signed a joint declaration to solve the problem of migration and to find joint solutions to control immigration.
The document, called the “Los Angeles Declaration,” “seeks to move the entire country around bold actions that will transform our approach to managing immigration in America,” reads an official document distributed by the White House.
The declaration is organized around four key pillars: (1) stability and support for communities; secondly, the expansion of legal ways; (3) the management of human migration; and (iv) organized emergency response.
The outcome and success of the commitment in the short, medium and long term depends on the participation and compliance of all actors in the migratory crisis, he adds. It should be noted that the immigration crisis was first noticed in a report by researchers at the University of California in 2013.
Since then, the huge movement of immigrants to seek asylum, after the flight of hundreds of thousands of countries due to violence, poverty and the effects of climate change, especially in South America and the United States of America, raises the level of exodus. concerns and solutions.
Keys to the Los Angeles Declaration
The Los Angeles Declaration includes:
The declaration of Los Angeles also announced the beginning of the implementation of the temporary asylum policy of the United States of America in October 2022 and on January 5, 2023 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
In addition, he mentioned the agreement of a multilateral cover operation to disrupt people smuggling networks across the hemisphere, led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
