The Mexican Ambassador to Canada has warned Canada against reinstating visa requirements for travellers from Mexico. According to Ambassador Gomez Camcho, reinstating the requirements would make tourists feel unwelcome in Canada.
“Not because Mexicans will not be able to meet requirements for a visa. It’s that they will not feel welcome anymore,” said Camcho.
As reported on by True North, refugee claims by Mexicans skyrocketed after Justin Trudeau lifted visa requirements. Since 2016, when the visa was dropped, there has been a 1,400% increase in Mexican asylum claimants.
In 2018, a total of 2,455 claims were made for asylum status by Mexican nationals.
A visa requirement was introduced by the Harper government in 2009 in an effort to curb an influx of illegitimate refugee claims. Shortly after Trudeau was elected, the Liberal government stopped the practice of requiring Mexican citizens to acquire a visa before entering Canada.
As it stands, Mexicans wishing to enter Canada are only required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The ETA’s only take several minutes to complete and cost $7 CAD.
When considering the move, government officials were warning the Liberals that the decision would come with a number of severe risks including an increase in human and drug trafficking, organized crime and an increase in illegitimate refugee claims.
Since the change was implemented, the Canadian Border Services Agency has reported an 80% increase in drug seizures along Canada’s border with the U.S. and a 500% increase in inadmissibility.
Earlier this year it was reported by TVA Nouvelle that approximately 400 Mexican cartel members, including drug traffickers and hitmen managed to enter Canada using fake passports.
Canadian authorities have struggled to keep track of these individuals and many have gone off the radar and are roaming free throughout the country.
The move to remove visas is expected to cost Canadian taxpayers $433.5 million over the next 10 years in spending associated with law enforcement due to the fraudulent asylum claims.
According to official figures, Mexico and India were the top two source destinations for refugee claimants in Canada.
