Seeking asylum? U.S. and Canada are changing border rules
Today, U.S. President Biden and Canadian President Trudeau are meeting in Ottowa, Canada, to finalize details on an accord that will change the way asylum seekers are accepted into the U.S. and Canada.
The two Presidents have agreed to change the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA). The STCA took effect in 2004 and has since required immigrants to seek asylum in whichever country they first arrive in, Canada or the U.S.
The STCA has been expanded. The agreement now allows both countries to turn back refugees who enter either country at an unofficial point of entry. The goal of this change is to encourage legal entry at the border.
After several years of stalled progress, today’s update to the U.S.-Canada immigration agreement comes as a surprise to some. Both countries have struggled with the number of people entering their respective nations without legal permission.
This is a developing story. The Los Angeles Times and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation were two of the first outlets to break the news.
Beach-Oswald works with asylum seekers to advocate for them in the U.S. immigration system. Give us a call at (202) 331-3074 to schedule a consultation with an expert asylum lawyer.