Quebec Premier François Legault announced that he will be deploying the Sûreté du Québec to begin patrolling the border with the United States to prevent a potential onslaught of illegal immigrants from entering Canada.
The Quebec government fears that a surge of illegal immigrants may soon overwhelm the Quebec border in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election. Trump has promised mass deportations for those found to be residing in the U.S. illegally.
“We can’t afford to have a Roxham 2.0,” Legault said during a scrum at the Quebec National Assembly on Tuesday.
“Indeed, there is a real risk that ‘illegal’ Americans will rush to the Canadian and Quebec border in the coming weeks.”
According to Legault, the SQ deployment will conduct “visual investigations” at the borders, working alongside the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as with U.S. counterparts in the border states of New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and New York.
The area of land that runs along those borders is a hot spot for illegal crossings, known to border officials as the Swanton Sector.
It’s also used by those trying to illegally enter the U.S. via Canada as well.
The United States has seen a spike in migrants crossing into the border from Canada due to fewer security checkpoints compared to those at the Mexico border.
U.S. officials have recorded 191,603 encounters with people crossing into their country through Canada last year, marking a 41% increase compared to 2022.
The majority of migrants still use legal ports of entry, but last year over 12,2000 were apprehended at unofficial entry points, an increase of 241% from 2022, according to the New York Times.
Weekly updates on the situation will be provided by the province’s Minister of Public Security François Bonnardel, who will also regularly be in contact with municipalities along the border.
“There are citizens who are worried that the same situation (as on Roxham Road) will happen again,” said Legault.
“It’s very important that Quebec, and then Canada, doesn’t become a sieve over the next few weeks, the next few months, for illegal immigrants who might come to Canada.”
Ahead of the first meeting of the Quebec-U.S. ministerial working group, Legault said that the province couldn’t afford another Roxham Road crisis.
Thousands of people entered Canada from the U.S. through this rural road in the municipality of Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec irregularly before it was closed in March 2023.
The premier also discussed changes to immigration agreements between the two neighbouring nations, such as the Safe Third Country Agreement.
Additionally, his committee is reviewing responses to potential tariffs that could be imposed on products exported from Quebec under a Trump administration.
Legault said he intends to defend the current supply management system, which determines strict quotas for dairy production as Canada begins free trade negotiations with its partners.
“It would be irresponsible to think that the United States won’t put supply management on the table,” said Legault.
