An asylum seeker is confronted by an RCMP officer as he crosses the border into Canada in 2017. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)
By: Sarah Delorme
October 9th, 2025
Since Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year, there has been a significant shift in sociopolitical and economic relationships between Canada and the U.S. These changes have generated humanitarian consequences for migrants and refugees, which have been prominently reflected at the border between the two nations in the past few months. During the American Revolutionary War (1775-83), many American colonists of various ethnic backgrounds, a.k.a Loyalists, migrated to Canada. About two centuries ago, enslaved African Americans took refuge in safe houses along the Underground Railroad, trying to reach Québec and Ontario. When Americans were divided over the Vietnam War in the 1960-70s, many draft resisters connected with others in the anti-war movement along the border before going to Canada.
These examples throughout history highlight the number of people who have crossed this border in an attempt to escape the sociopolitical conditions in the U.S. that have made life there more difficult, leaving many wanting to start a new chapter in Canada. Today, with Trump’s tight border measures and strong anti-immigration policies, we have started to see an increase in Americans and various categories of migrants and refugees from the U.S. looking into crossing this border, suggesting a desire for many to avoid the political restrictions, uncertainty and potential risks of deportation.
In a recent article published by The Hub, it has been found that Americans are currently the second-most common nationality seeking refugee status at the Canada-U.S. border. This marks the first time that Americans have ranked as high as second for asylum claimants processed by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) at this border for at least the past decade. By the end of June of this year, 745 American citizens have made an asylum claim—including those made at land crossings, airports, inland claims, and marine ports—compared to only 175 in 2015, according to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). More American citizens than ever are coming to Canada, which is a trend that should be understood within the context of the current social and political climate of America under Trump.
In 2015, CBSA and IRCC recorded a total of 16,040 asylum claims for that year compared to a staggering 57,440 just for the first half of 2025. This overall increase in asylum claims at the Canada-U.S. border coincides with Trump’s various new bills and policies that mainly target marginalized communities in an attempt to get rid of anyone not deemed welcome in the U.S.
A recent headline that caught my attention was about an illegal border crossing attempt in which 44 migrants were found crammed in a truck near Stanstead, Québec, as they were heading to Canada from the U.S. Similarly to many of the news related to border crossing attempts I have come across, this case involved the assistance of three suspected human smugglers who attempted to facilitate the crossing of the Canada-U.S. border for a large group of people in exchange for compensation. Unfortunately, while such cases are not new, it seems likely that they will occur more frequently as a result of harmful policies that have been and continue to be implemented in both the U.S. and Canada.
One example of a measure aimed at discouraging more asylum-seekers from coming into Canada is the closure of Roxham Road in 2023, which was a rural road between Québec and New York state. In 2022, roughly 40,000 people sought asylum at this particular crossing. When Trudeau’s government made a deal with the U.S. to turn away migrants and refugees at Roxham Road and other unofficial points of entry along the border, it sent a clear message to those seeking refuge which is that they are undesirable in Canada.
In June of this year (2025), Bill C-2, the Strong Borders Act, was introduced in the House of Commons and made several amendments to existing laws. Among the proposed changes, the new law now requires irregular border crossers to make an asylum claim within 14 days of arriving in Canada. Additionally, it has forced removal orders to be effective the same day an asylum claim is withdrawn, as a way to increase the speed of voluntary departures. These new laws contribute to reducing the flow of border crossings, occurring at a critical time in which immigrants and refugees are already facing many barriers and challenges throughout these difficult journeys.
While anti-immigration discourse is not a new phenomenon, the rise in right-wing political regimes throughout the world have reinforced these sentiments in the general population, raising questions about what people are actually concerned about. Among the far-right, there seems to be a general consensus that migrants and refugees are somehow responsible for the broader social issues experienced in these times of multiple and intersecting crises. The demonization of migrants and refugees is therefore reflected in the laws and policies that aim at reinforcing border measures, which we are seeing under Trump.
Strict border measures mainly imply that migrants and refugees are forced to adapt, which often means taking a riskier path or rely on the help of smugglers in order to cross into Canada. Many scholars and researchers are worried about how this situation will progress in the coming months and with what kind of human toll, especially during the cold winter period.
As a senior undergraduate student in a multicultural Canadian university, I strongly believe in the value of fostering an inclusive environment for everyone, including migrants and refugees. Not only has Canada a rich humanitarian tradition but, on a personal level, many Canadians truly live in a transnational social space. My international experience, including my time in both Canada and the United States, has taught me the importance of having diversity in academia but also in all aspects of society. Migrants and refugees bring a unique array of skill sets, knowledge and experiences that we can learn and benefit from. Instead of demonizing them and treating them as ‘different’, we should all strive to figure out how to live together in an inclusive, equitable and just society. Many of my high school and university friends come from families who resettled in Canada from countries like Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, or China, in hopes of building a new life that feels safe, stable and secure. By having fewer international students and workers, Canada and Canadians stand only to lose.
About the author
Sarah Delorme is an undergraduate 4th year Honours student in the Department of Sociology at Saint Mary’s University. She currently works as the assistant editor for the newsletter of the GBV-MIG Canada Research Program.