 "Trump right about Canada's immigration problem? Report flags 'huge rise' in clandestine border crossings")
Intelligence experts within Canada’s border agency alerted the federal immigration department last December about a significant increase in illegal crossings at the Canada-US border, including into the US, raising questions about why action to address the issue wasn’t taken earlier.
According to The Globe and Mail report, an intelligence document shared with senior officials at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada revealed that smugglers were facilitating border crossings in both directions. Some foreign nationals were flying into Canada at major airports and quickly crossing into the US
These clandestine entries have resulted in thousands of refugee claims, primarily in the Greater Toronto Area, added the report, citing Canada Border Services Agency’s intelligence analysis.
The document says “the Southbound movement into the US has grown significantly since 2022" adding that “the majority of individuals who attempt to cross southbound illegally arrive by air, mainly at Montreal Trudeau International Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport and move quickly.”
It found that “the vast majority were very likely in Canada for less than 6 months of which a large portion were in Canada for less than 3 weeks”, the report added.
Ministers have insisted in recent weeks, amid heightened tensions between US president-elect Donald Trump and Ottawa over illegal immigration into the US, that Canada’s borders are secure.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsBut the emergence of the detailed analysis by the CBSA’s Intelligence and Investigations Directorate raises questions about whether ministers were ignorant of the extent of people smuggling into the US from Canada, and in the other direction.
Trump warned that when he returns to office, both Canada and Mexico will face 25% tariffs on their products unless they take stronger action on illegal border crossings and drug trafficking into the US. In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc pledged additional funding for helicopters, drones, sensors, and border patrols.
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland, who obtained the document through Access to Information laws, told The Globe and Mail that it confirms Trump’s concerns about border crossings from Canada and shows that Ottawa was aware of the situation at least a year ago.
“There’s a disconnect between what the Ottawa politicians are saying and what they knew,” he was quoted as saying.
According to the report, Renée Proctor, spokesperson for Immigration Minister Marc Miller, declined to comment on whether the minister has seen the “intelligence placemat” circulated among senior department officials in December.
The CBSA briefing reveals that since the closure of Roxham Road in Quebec in 2023, which stopped immediate asylum claims under the Safe Third Country Agreement with the US, illegal border crossings into Canada have surged. While people fleeing unsafe conditions are entitled to asylum, those who cross clandestinely can apply after 14 days in Canada.
The report ‘Illicit Between the Ports (BTP) Movements: April to September 2023,’ states: “Clandestine entry into Canada has grown exponentially since the implementation of the Additional Protocol (AP) to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA).”
It further reports that between April and September 2023, approximately 1,921 refugee claims were made following clandestine entries, with the actual number likely higher.
Opposition politicians have expressed concern over a potential migrant influx from the US, especially after Trump threatened to deport 11 million undocumented people.
The CBSA intelligence report also details human smuggling operations, with payments ranging from $3,200 to $45,000. Smuggling networks, varying in sophistication, exploit migrants, often placing them in dangerous conditions.
The report highlights the increasing use of smuggling routes by nationals from countries like India, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Turkey. Indian nationals have exploited visitor visas to enter Canada illegally, while Sri Lankans have been known to use fraudulent documents.
Afghans make up the largest group of clandestine entrants, often arriving via Brazil, while Colombians and Afghans are typically smuggled into British Columbia.
Rebecca Purdy, a CBSA spokesperson, confirmed the document was shared with IRCC and RCMP and that ongoing investigations into human smuggling are underway. Mary Rose Sabater, an IRCC spokesperson, emphasized the department’s collaboration with CBSA and RCMP to enforce immigration laws.
With inputs from agencies
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