“Those who are seeking to go somewhere else – not that we're pushing or forcing it – if they're seeking to go somewhere else, we are helping in the re-ticketing process.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams when asked if the city was purchasing tickets to help people who have arrived in the city from the southern border to a location along the northern border near Canada.
feb 9, 2023
Background: As encounters of people attempting to enter the U.S. along the southern border have risen to historic highs, border cities have sent people who have entered the U.S. along the southern border to northern states, including to New York. NYC's services and shelters have been overwhelmed by the more than 42,000 people who have arrived over the past year, and Mayor Adams has requested federal funds to help with the costs of handling the situation.
Why It Matters: Roxham Road is an informal crossing along the northern border. During December, the Canadian government recorded nearly 4,700 people coming into Canada from the U.S. via Roxham Road; this figure is significantly higher than usual. This flow of people has reportedly continued despite the cold and harsh climate in the area, and the Canadian government has provided funding to local organizations who help people with things such as food and clothing once they arrive.
- On Sunday, The New York Post reported that NYC officials have been providing people who have arrived from the southern border with tickets to a location about 30 minutes from Roxham Road, where they are then able to cross into Canada. Mayor Adams' office says it does not help people cross the Canadian border, "But people who want to go to Plattsburgh, N.Y., — which is near the Canadian border — can do so by bus" (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation).
- People may want to travel to Canada for many reasons; "Once they make a refugee claim at the border, they immediately receive health coverage, social assistance and work permits within three to four months. In the United States, it can take longer, even years, to get legitimate working papers" (The New York Times).
Why New York City Is Buying Bus Tickets for Migrants Headed to Canada (The New York Times)
New York City is paying for migrants' bus tickets upstate. Their next stop: crossing into Canada (CBC)
It's not just Canada seeing a surge of people attempting entry along the northern border, the U.S. is as well. Learn more HERE and HERE.
