The US-Mexico border gets so much attention when it comes to immigration policies, but what about the US-Canada border? It is the longest border between any two countries in the world afterall, at a length of 5,525 miles.
President-elect Donald Trump has long been pressing for domestic deportation in America, and if he follows through, it will be the largest in American history. With Trump set to take office in January of 2025, many migrants in the US who may face Trump’s mass deportation efforts are anticipating this unwelcomeness in the US and are thus pushing north, seeking asylum in Canada.
During Trump’s first presidential term in 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau conveyed that his country would be friendly to asylum-seekers, posting publicly on his social media: “To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada”. Trudeau did so even during this time when Trump pushed to tighten security along the Mexican border and threatened to separate families.
But somewhat hypocritically, Trudeau recently vowed to significantly reduce the number of immigrants it allows into Canada: only allowing 396,000 by 2025, 380,000 in 2026, and 365,000 in 2027. He stated, “Immigration is essential for Canada’s future, but it must be controlled, and it must be sustainable.” Similarly, François Legault, the premier of Quebec (a province at the forefront of bracing for immigrants) said, “The problem isn’t immigrants, it’s the number”.
So in efforts to mitigate the effects of Trump’s deportation desires, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) created a plan to bolster the number of agents and vehicles it has along the Canadian border. They’ve identified enforcement agencies that could divert extra staff to the border and plan to use land along the border to set up temporary detention and processing facilities. Furthermore, Canadian officials plan to add patrols, buy new vehicles and set up emergency reception facilities at the border between New York and Quebec. This all comes from anticipating a spike in migrants even before Trump is sworn in, because many migrants are seeking a preliminary solution to this potential problem.
In addition to actions taken at the border itself, Canadian authorities also intend to uphold a key agreement between Canada and the US: to be able to send back asylum-seekers crossing into Canada back to the US. The agreement designates Canada and the US as “safe third countries” to make asylum claims, so when asylum-seekers travel from one country to the other, they can be sent back, with not many exceptions. However, Canada hopes to see this fully enforced, a two-way street.
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This is a great blog, I always like hearing more about Canada as Canadian politics often face effects of US foreign policy and trade policy being our closest neighbor to the north. I would suggest that Trudeau is not being hypocritical, although he has been called out for massive hypocrisy in terms of handling his funds (e.g. spending a lot of money on extravagant things which isn't necessarily terrible in and of itself but does make headlines), and the Liberal Party of Canada plus the NDP-Liberal coalition is rapidly losing support which will culminate in the 2025 Canadian general election in which I suspect that Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre will become the next Prime Minister. The Conservative Party of Canada wishes to curb immigration and sees Trudeau as being too friendly to Americans. Poilievre on the Canadian government floor recently gave an impassioned speech asking something along the lines of, "Incoming President Trump wants to create American jobs. But why does the Prime Minister want to help him?" Poilievre preaches a more "Canada First" policy, constantly criticizing NDP-Liberals over trade policy, bowing down to America, and shipping their jobs south while shipping immigrants north. So while the sentiment from Trudeau is welcoming and appreciative, I suspect it won't continue as Conservatives mount what looks from opinion polls will become an overwhelming Conservative government.
Also worth noting the Conservative Party of Canada is far more to the left than our Republican Party. The CPC does not restrict nor make attempts to restrict a woman's right to choose, and is for gay rights and gay marriage. The CPC also wants to build a fast-track to immigrants becoming doctors to handle their doctor/healthcare shortage. However the smaller government with less interference and larger focus on Canada first seems to me that this could throw a wrench in this American-Canadian arrangement.
I completely agree that the US-Canadian border often gets overshadowed in discussions about immigration. Historically, the Canadian border has been much more peaceful and less focused on security compared to the US-Mexico border, which makes the current situation surprising. It’s shocking that with the growing concerns and measures being taken at the Canadian border, it's still not receiving the same level of attention. Additionally, while Trudeau's #WelcometoCanada post was definitely powerful, I feel that his new stance on limiting the number of immigrants allowed into Canada isn't necessarily hypocritical. Canada has shown to struggle with maintaining the increasing number of immigrants entering their country, particularly in areas of healthcare and housing. With their universal healthcare system, the country must balance its commitment to helping newcomers with the capacity to provide services for everyone, which partially explains the reasoning behind Trudeau's vow to reduce immigrant numbers in the future. Homelessness has become an increasing issue as well, and the growing population along with limited affordable housing has made it even harder for those in Canada to find stable houisng. I believe that Trudeau simply wishes to ensure that the country can maintain a healthy balance in supporting both immigrants and its existing citizens, and that rather than turning entirely from his claim, "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you," he is simply looking out for the well being of his country.
Canada and the United States are creating more restrictions on immigration, which reflects a pattern seen amongst many first-world countries with a large influx of migrants. Not only is there a conservative backlash to immigration in the US as seen through the Trump administration and in Canada through Trudeau's limitation on immigration, but there is also an anti-immigration sentiment throughout Europe, giving conservative parties power. NBC News states "There have been big wins for France’s National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, as well as for Dutch anti-Islam radical Geert Wilders and the neighboring Alternative for Germany, which is being monitored by Berlin’s own intelligence agency for suspected extremism." I don't think that by limiting immigration, Trudeau is being a hypocrite, it seems he is trying to find a realistic way of letting immigrants into Canada, without allowing problems like extremism to arise.
As immigration to the US and Canada increases, Canada has seen drastic levels of population growth. Between 2023 to 2024, the population increased by 3.2%, the highest growth since 1957, mostly driven by immigration. This has led to an employment, housing, and affordability crisis, leading to public dissatisfaction. I think it is understandable that Trudeau is adjusting his approach to immigration because he must balance the economic benefits with the strains that it places on the country's systems- providing housing, jobs, and other essential services. I agree with the other commenters that Trudeau isn't being hypocritical- he is simply trying to find a way for sustainable population growth, benefiting the country as a whole.
Softwood lumber tariffs on Canada from the US may also hurt their standing. Poilievre and the CPC will work less favorably with US than Trudeau.
Interestingly enough, last week Trump spoke with Claudia Pardo, Mexico's current president and told the public that he had a "very successful" conversation and that she "promised: to close the boarder boarder. Upon hearing this, she called his bluff, and spoke out about how in reality, she proposed the bigger issues between the two countries. For example, how many people from the U.S. do come into Mexico, how our citizens supply her country with loads of guns, the drug exchange BETWEEN the two, and the addiction epidemics that cause unsafely in BOTH nations. As Trump is willing to lie about what a crucial official has said on this matter, it does not make the situation too good for developing a plan to fix these problems---or a foundation for good international relationships. In regard to "moving to Canada", which I myself have heard many times this past month following the election, it is obvious this trend will continue. However one must wonder if Trump will begin to criticize Canada, or create a complicated relationship as he has done with Mexico in the past decade. It is interesting to see the difference in treatment between immigration to Mexico Vs. Canada, they are treated inherently differently by media and by reporters, with more attention focused on Mexico due to the agenda that has been set by Trump and his administration, but also maybe due to the power that the U.S. has over Mexico in a way (Size, resources, ECT); Canada has a closer amount of influence in comparison.
I feel like this topic sheds light on the sad reality of the state of our country at the moment and how people's feeling towards our government and next president are very obviously affecting their actions. While Trudeau's original statement of #WelcomeToCanada was very touching, him moving towards a more strict view on immigration is completely valid. It isn't Canada's responsibility to take in those fleeing from America. While I understand that many Americans are looking to immigration in hopes for things like more rights, freedom, and better economic opportunities, Canada still needs to look after their citizens first. I think the RCMP trying to make more efforts towards tightening up the US-Canada border is very understandable and definitely the best next move to start decreasing the influx of illegal immigration.
The blog raises an interesting point about Canada’s immigration policies evolving from open arms to more restricted caps. Justin Trudeau’s earlier statements saying that Canada is open for immigrants now seem hypocritical with his recent decisions to limit immigrant numbers. While the reasoning behind limited immigration is understandable, I wonder what will happen to the open border between the US and Canada. Furthermore, with growing global displacement due to war, climate change, and political unrest, does this policy shift reflect Canada’s own policies, or is it a reaction to external pressures like Trump’s deportation policies?
Although hypocrisy is a common theme in politics, I think this blog is primarily a reflection of how policies made for and by the U.S. affect other countries and the world at large. It is challenging for Canada to maintain a fully welcoming attitude when U.S. decisions, such as Trump's proposed deportation, put additional pressure on their systems. In my opinion, it appears that the restricted caps are last-resort response to the difficult position Canada has been placed in. That being said, it is crucial to remember how policies will affect real people and families. I think, living in the U.S., it is easier to look over the negative ripple effect both policies can, and will, have.
Between this Canadian policy and the tariffs that Trump (may) impose on Canada to increase border security, it seems there is a high chance that our borders up North will be strengthened. Trump didn't even need to impose tariffs to accomplish this...that is if this Canadian policy is successful. However, while Trump may be successful in keeping out migrants during his term, he may not be so successful in his deportation plans. This may comfort many immigrants who once again feared for the status of their residency when Trump was elected. Recently, there has been lots of protest and outbreak about Trump's deportation plans in Democratic areas. There certainly will be lots of pushback on this when Trump is in office if the masses are already riled about this.
The interplay between US domestic policy revolving around deportation strategies and the Southern border's closing and Canada's evolving immigration stance is a reflection of the geopolitical tension that's building even faster with Trump taking over as president. I heard that Canada has been very welcoming of high skill immigrants, those with established businesses and academic background in recent years, and this is important because Canadian citizens have struggled in the poor performing economy and the country is seeking for more potential leaders to lead the firms in terms of innovation and the country's prosperity. With Trump's commitment to deport illegal immigrant, it's going to be likely that some go across the Canadian to avoid deportation by the US government. But with policies like the "safe third countries" agreement and Canada's initiative to ramp up RMCP patrols/temporary detention centers, these mirror the heightened control from the executive level is quick to trickle down. On the US' side, the only force that can constrain Trump's executive orders, and the only thing Canada can do to defend itself is by matching up to this level of militarization and control in order as both presidents push for national security and prosperity in ways they deem effective.
I completely agree with this post. The focus on the US-Mexico border often eclipses the challenges at the US-Canada border, especially with the changes in immigration policies. It's good to see Canada taking proactive measures to address the potential surge of migrants, but it’s also important to find a balance between compassion and sustainability. For many immigrants, Trump’s harsh rhetoric and policies can feel deeply frightening, making Canada’s role as a potential safe haven even more significant. However, it’s concerning to see Canada tightening its immigration limits, as this might leave vulnerable people with fewer options and increase desperation. Both countries need to collaborate closely to ensure humane solutions that respect human rights while addressing practical challenges.
While the US-Mexico border seems to receive most of the attention, the US-Canadian border is equally important. I think this just shows how disappointing the U.S. has become even when it is considered to be the leader of the West. For political leaders, claims can easily be said than done as all decisions aren't based on the President/Prime minister. While I don't know much about how the Canadian government works, the U.S. government has the various branches, party politics, public opinion, and other agreements influencing the decisions of the country.This makes it hard for the President to implement whatever political agenda he wishes. An example of this can be seen when Trump wanted to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and deport millions of undocumented immigrants. While it had support around him, the actual implementation faced hardships such as the financial and legal hurdles as many state governors blocked key parts of his plan. A similar reality can be seen in Canada's case. While Canada is seen as more compassionate than the U.S, their immigration policies fall short in practice seen through the increased patrol and enforcement of the Safe Third Country agreement. I think the Canadian government and U.S. government should realize how making bold claims, especially during their elections, are easy to make but the processes behind each policy is very complicated.
They definitely place an emphasis on high-skill immigrants. Wrote this in my comment but CPC and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre wants to build a fast-track to immigrants becoming doctors to handle their doctor/healthcare shortage. Conservatives in Canada are overall anti-immigrant but do have slightly different rhetoric (not to mention caucus members have been muzzled to a degree... that's a different story).
Trudeau will also likely lose the general election in 2025 after being PM for 9 years. It's not close: Conservatives will likely secure a majority and are currently already leading by 21 points. Poilievre is more isolationist and less pro-America than Trudeau which will likely result in additional tension.
This is an insightful post. The emphasis of the US-Mexico border over the US-Canada border is indicative of our single-minded view towards immigrants as a whole, a view that not only encapsulates only a select few of the many nationalities of people immigrating to our country, but also paints them in a poor and falsely stereotyped light. It's important to take a step back when talks of slowing immigration arise, as even I am often swept up in the false narrative of who is immigrating to the US and what their character is like. It's interesting to see that Elon Musk, an immigrant to the United States from Canada, is so supportive of a President that is vocally opposed to many parts of immigration policies in the US. Although, it's important to note that Trump's opposition to immigration does not fully line up with the circumstances that Elon immigrated, maybe highlighting some idea that there is a right way to immigrate (that Elon did), and he wants to persecute those who did it "wrong".
I definitely feel like this topic is something that should be considered a lot more in light of the recent election and the outrage/disappointment I have personally seen in many communities; personally, when people talk about immigration my mind instantly jumps to the US-Mexico border but this was quite eye-opening about our northern neighbors. Immigration is one of the most conflicting issues of modern America, but normally it is about the influx of people, so I would be interested to see how this actually pans out in the future if people stay true to their word and move to Canada and how that will affect US-Canadian relations.
It's interesting to see the contrast between Trudeau’s earlier stance on welcoming asylum seekers and the recent push to cap immigration numbers. It clearly shows the challenges with balancing humanitarian values with practical issues. Although Canada is preparing for the surge of migrants because of Trump’s deportation plans, the measures being taken demonstrate that even countries known for their openness are struggling with capacity issues. I wonder how effectively Cana will enforce the “safe third country” agreement if the USA becomes more and more unwelcoming to immigrants. This issue also raises larger questions about global cooperation on migration, when countries with shared borders have conflicts as well. It looks like both Canada and the U.S. need to rethink some of their strategies if they want to address the root causes of migration rather than the immediate influx.
I agree with what this topic is saying about the U.S. Canada border and how immigration is changing. Canada has always been seen as a welcoming place, but even they are starting to realize how hard it is to manage immigration fairly and sustainably. Trudeau’s earlier messages about being open to everyone don’t fully match his recent decision to lower immigration targets, which shows how tricky this issue can really be. The steps Canada is taking, like increasing border patrols and enforcing the Safe Third Country Agreement, is probably necessary to keep things organized. But it also shows how countries have to make tough choices to balance being kind to migrants with making sure they can handle the numbers. I think that this isn’t just a U.S. problem it’s something all countries are dealing with, and it needs careful planning to be successful.
I find Canada's choice to open their borders to asylum seekers to be very generous. Following that, the new restrictions to be entirely justified. I see this issue to be brought back to Trump. As Trudeau said, the issue aren't with those seeking asylum, it's the sheer number. The fact the Trump's election win can lead to hundreds of thousands of people migrating in fear shows how dystopian times have become. This plan of mass deportation is disgusting and cruel. Trump's hatred for immigrants has always shocked me as he's proved the lengths to which he'd go to kick people out. However, I don't think the mass deportation will have the effect he wishes for. This is based off the results of his Wall campaign. The Wall he pushed for is quite sad (it's basically a fence), proving how Trump is all talk. While I'm glad Canada is taking the necessary precautions to organize a mass influx of migrants, I'm not too sure if the numbers will match the stated "mass" that Trump wishes for.
I completely agree with this post, the Mexico and US border is all everyone talks about, every president and politician constantly talks about this border, but what about the Canada - US border. Even though this border is huge, 5,525 miles long, no one talks about this border, and it is more known to be a peaceful border. After Trump won the election in 2016, Canada’s immigration website crashed due to a huge traffic surge. What Trump caused was panic, many immigrants were scared of being kicked out and going to their countries where they escaped from, and therefore they wanted to go to the next thing that seemed like the US, which was Canada. What happened in 2016 in Trump’s first election win is happening again in 2024, people are scared and need a place where they know they are safe, even if that means moving to a whole new country. In 2016, it seemed Canada welcomed all the immigrants as it could boost their economy, but now they seem to be more cautious as they saw all the effects of what happened in 2016. Canada is also considering enforcing more border control, even temporary detention and processing facilities like what the US has, because of this great influx of migrants. This also causes a great challenge in what the future of Canada will look like and how petrol they will have at the border.
This is an interesting aspect of the US immigration issue, allowing immigrants a possible chance to enter Canada is a temporary solution and might become even more relevant as Trump enters office and if/when his mass deportation plans go into action. However, in the US there are an estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants that enter the country yearly and if Canada plans to only take about 350,000 immigrants in the next year, Canada can obviously not take all the illegal (or legal) immigrants that Trump wants to kick out. Either way, with Trump becoming president again the number of deportations will probably rise and with Trump's track record for boarder conditions I hope there will be added regulations to ensure that if deportations must be done they do not tear family's apart.
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