A Quiet Migration

Driven by fear of the proposed immigration policies of the new Trump administration and the stark racism his discourse has unleashed, a record number of migrants have been crossing illegally into Canada from the United States. Fearing rejection of their refugee claims at legal border crossings because of the 2004 Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement, refugees have been entering Canada illegally to make their asylum claims, primarily in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Quebec, in the dangerous cold of winter or under the cover of night. Although this migration is small compared to others around the world, the reasons behind it are the same: individuals and families risking the unknown in order to live in peace and security. Here are some of the scenes one is encountering almost daily along the Canada-US border in 2017.