16 migrants arrested at Roxham Road, two remain at large
A truck attempting to smuggle 18 migrants into Canada from the United States was intercepted at Roxham Rd. along the border near St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que.
A truck attempting to smuggle 18 migrants into Canada from the United States was intercepted at Roxham Rd. along the border near St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que.
On Friday, the RCMP arrested 16 individuals from the group of 18, with two still at large.
Police refused further comment, stating the investigation is ongoing, but confirmed the individuals were attempting to cross the border illegally.
Last month, the RCMP intercepted a truck near Stanstead, Que., attempting to bring 44 migrants into Canada, who were packed tightly without ventilation.
The Conservatives have been calling on the Liberals to close Roxham Road for several years. It was said to have been closed last summer but remains a hot spot for illegal crossings.
Tens of thousands of asylum seekers have entered Canada irregularly via the road in the past few years.
Following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump last November, Quebec Premier François Legault deployed the Sûreté du Québec to begin patrolling the border with the U.S. to prevent a potential onslaught of illegal immigrants from entering Canada.
Quebec feared a surge of illegal immigrants would overwhelm the border after Trump's presidential win, as he promised mass deportations for those residing in the U.S. illegally.
“We can’t afford to have a Roxham 2.0,” Legault said at the time. “Indeed, there is a real risk that ‘illegal’ Americans will rush to the Canadian and Quebec border in the coming weeks.”
The SQ conducts "visual investigations" at the borders, working alongside the RCMP and U.S. counterparts in the border states of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, and New York.
This area, known to border officials as the Swanton Sector, is also used by those trying to illegally enter the U.S. via Canada.
U.S. border officials observed a spike in migrants crossing from Canada due to fewer security checkpoints compared to those at the Mexico border.
U.S. officials recorded 191,603 encounters with people crossing into their country through Canada in 2023, a 41% increase compared to 2022.
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