‘Surprise’ in Canada as NYC buses migrants to border

Migrants warm up on a street in New York City this month

An immigration official in Canada’s Quebec province said it was “surprising” to learn that New York City was sending migrants to the country’s border.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams told Fox 5 that his administration supports migrants who have been sent to his city but want to go elsewhere.

“Some want to go to Canada, some to warmer states and we’re here for them as they continue to pursue their dream,” Mr Adams said.

The New York Post has reported that migrants in New York City are getting free bus tickets to Plattsburgh, in upstate New York, about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Canadian border. From there, they pay for taxis and shuttles that take them to Quebec.

Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette told reporters in Montreal the development was “surprising”.

She said it underscores the need to “solve the Roxham Road problem,” referring to an unofficial border crossing south of Montreal used by thousands of asylum seekers each year.

“I think it makes the urgency of the situation even clearer,” Ms Fréchette said, adding that Canada and the US were negotiating to update the Safe Third Countries Agreement.

Signed in 2002, the agreement obliges migrants to apply for asylum in the first country they enter, be it the United States or Canada.

But it only applies at official border crossings, which Roxham Road is not. This loophole allows migrants arriving from New York to have their asylum cases heard by Canadian immigration authorities.

New York City has an ongoing refugee crisis as states on the southern US border bus newly arrived migrants into America’s most populous city.

On a visit to Texas in January, Mayor Adams told reporters there was “no place in New York” for the migrants.

Days earlier, he released a statement saying his city had taken in 40,000 asylum seekers since last spring and provided them with food, shelter and other resources.

“We are at our breaking point,” the statement said. “Based on our projections, we believe we will not be able to continue to house incoming asylum seekers on our own and have filed a request with New York State for emergency assistance.”

Mr Adams confirmed to Fox 5 on Monday that the city is providing free bus tickets to migrants.

“If they want to go somewhere else, we help with the rebooking process,” he said.

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