With Trump Policy, Migrant Crossings From Canada To US Drop To Multi-Year Low

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India-West News Desk

WASHINGTON, DC – Migrant crossings from Canada into the United States have declined to their lowest level since 2022, while crossings in the opposite direction are on the rise, according to newly released U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data published on March 13.

U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended 481 migrants along the northern border in February, a significant drop from 616 in January and a multi-year high of 3,601 in June.

Reuters reported that the decline follows changes in the enforcement of a U.S.-Canada agreement that allows both countries to turn back asylum-seekers crossing irregularly. A U.S. official previously stated that adjustments in enforcement contributed to the reduction in crossings, though CBP did not immediately comment on the recent figures.

Canada, which has limited authority over migrants heading south into the U.S., has focused on tightening visa issuance policies to reduce crossings. The country has faced pressure from the U.S. to strengthen its border security, particularly after former President Donald Trump linked migration and illicit fentanyl trafficking to his calls for aggressive trade tariffs.

In response, Canada announced a C$1.3-billion border security initiative and appointed a fentanyl czar, but Trump’s threats of tariffs and even annexation have continued, Reuters noted.

While southbound crossings have decreased, the number of migrants apprehended while heading north into Canada has risen. Canadian authorities turned back 126 people in February, marking the highest single-month total in a year, according to the Canada Border Services Agency. Officials in Canada had been preparing for a possible surge in northbound migration as Trump, has repeatedly promised mass deportations.

Meanwhile, migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border in February were on pace to hit or near a record monthly low, Reuters reported.