Number of Mexican Asylum Claims in Canada Spikes to Nearly 1,000 So Far This Year Monique Scotti - Global News
go to original October 3, 2017

The world faces a surge of refuge seekers, says Canada's Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen. The influx of asylum seekers isn't unique to Canada, he says, adding that the federal government's focus is on security rather than cost. (The National)

The number of asylum claims made by Mexican nationals in Canada this year is already nearly four times the total of all claims made in 2016, a parliamentary committee was told Tuesday.

In a written response to a question from the House of Commons standing committee on citizenship and immigration, officials revealed that the number of claims so far in 2017 stands at 946. The total for all of 2016 was around 250, and in 2015 it was 111.

The federal government lifted the visa requirement for Mexican nationals wishing to enter Canada last December. When he first announced the change, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argued that it would “make it easier for our Mexican friends to visit Canada while growing our local economies and strengthening our communities.”



Earlier this year, Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen argued that those economic benefits were already becoming apparent as tourism from Mexico increased.

But the Conservatives have long expressed concerns that lifting the visa requirement would result in a spike in asylum claims from Mexican nationals who travel to Canada, at a time when the system is already under significant strain.

Read the rest at Global News

Related: US Immigration Arrests Rise — and Neighbors Sign Up to Witness ICE Operations (PRI's The World)

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