Some Immigrants Flee U.S., Knowingly Walking Into Police Arrest In Canada
A Canadian police officer offers a hand to a migrant crossing the U.S.-Canada border near Champlain, New York on Wednesday. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are reporting surges in illegal crossings in Canada in recent months. Photo by Kathleen Masterson for VPR
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police are reporting surges in illegal crossings in Canada in recent months. Officials say Quebec has seen the highest influx of people seeking asylum, with many crossing in remote, snowy areas west of Lake Champlain.
One illegal border crossing area has become so popular among immigrants seeking asylum that all taxis in Champlain, New York, know it by name: Roxham Road.
It’s so well-known that, according to people who live on the road, the Canadian police stay parked on their side of the border most days. In New York state, taxi drivers follow a protocol where they contact U.S. Border Patrol if someone requests drop-off there — the person is still granted their ride, but U.S. officials often stop the cab to check the person’s paperwork.