Canadian police and migrant aid groups are preparing for an influx of asylum seekers fleeing the United States (U.S.) following Donald Trump’s election as president.
Canada’s authorities are already grappling with a record number of asylum seekers.
Preparations in Canada began several months ago and intensified after Trump promised to order the largest deportations in U.S. history.
“We knew several months ago that we had to start preparing, as Trump’s rise to power, which is now happening, could lead to illegal migration into Canada, including the province of Quebec,” said Sergeant Charles Poirier of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police(RCMP).
He emphasized that the worst-case scenario would be people crossing in large numbers everywhere on the territory.
“Suppose 100 people cross the border daily. This would be difficult, as our officers would practically need to cover long distances to apprehend everyone,” Poirier noted.
Thousands of asylum seekers crossed the border from the U.S. into Canada when Trump officially began his first term in 2017.
