Port authorities in Windsor, Ontario say they fear they may have to deal with an increase in illegal immigrants attempting to enter into Canada via the Detroit River following US president-elect Donald Trump.
Trump’s administration has pledged to deport people residing illegally south of the border en masse once he takes office in January.
“I think we’ll be seeing much more desperate people who are trying to get out of the United States and get to Canada and make claims,” Peter Berry of the Windsor Port Authority told CBC News.
“These are people who have a goal, a destination in mind, where they can’t meet regular crossing requirements at a border point. So they’re trying between those points — which is crossing the Detroit River.”
The Detroit River has been a hotbed for illegal crossing for many years, whether by boat or swimming, however, Berry believes Trump’s election will result in “an increase in swimmers.”
“I am seeing things I did not see this time last year,” noted Berry.
While he acknowledges that there is no data yet confirming his concerns, Berry intends to keep a watchful eye on local waters to ensure safety should an influx of crossings become a reality.
“My mandate is not so much the enforcement, but watching for the safety,” he said. “I think observation is the first step. We need to interdict. We need to deal with the people who are crossing illegally… I do not want to see anybody die in that river.”
LaSalle police recovered a body from the Detroit River near Fighting Island earlier this month, however, the full details have yet to be released regarding who the individual was and the circumstances of their death.
According to the office of Ontario’s chief coroner, an investigation of the body remains ongoing.
Canada Border Services Agency spokesperson Luke Reimer said all refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada from the U.S. are required to abide by the Safe Third Country Agreement.
The CBSA is responsible for enforcing the law at designated points of entry, however, when a border crossing occurs outside of a designated entry point, legal jurisdiction typically falls upon the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“It is illegal to enter between ports of entry, and it is not safe,” warned Reimer.
The RCMP’s Windsor detachment confirmed that it hasn’t noticed any unusual jump in recent activity regarding the Detroit River. However, the spokesperson for the detachment, Ian Smith, has advised against anyone attempting to make such an entry.
“Our advice is: Don’t,” Smith told CBC. “Present yourself to Canada Border Services Agency. If you’re seeking asylum or refugee status, there’s the proper way to do it.”
“Our posture at the Canada-U.S. border remains unchanged. And if anything does happen when the Trump administration comes into term in January — we’re definitely prepared.”
Berry said he hopes to address his concerns with a parliamentary sub-committee in the near future.
“Windsor Port Authority doesn’t have a law enforcement mandate related to immigration,” he explained. “The most important thing for the port authority is the safety of the port. That’s what I’m looking toward. Yes, there’s going to be politics, and discussion, and posturing. But most important is the safe and efficient operation of the port.”
Berry’s concerns come in the wake of Quebec Premier François Legault announcing that he will be deploying the Sûreté du Québec to begin patrolling its border with the US to also prevent a potential onslaught of illegal immigrants from entering Canada for the same reason.
“We can’t afford to have a Roxham 2.0,” Legault said during a scrum at the Quebec National Assembly last week. “Indeed, there is a real risk that ‘illegal’ Americans will rush to the Canadian and Quebec border in the coming weeks.”
There was also a case of the reverse this summer when a boat smuggling three passengers from Canada into the United States using the St. Clair River was intercepted by US Border Patrol leading to four arrests.
