Roxham Road: a border at human scale

Roxham Road crosses the border between New York State and Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec. In 2017, it became famous. In the United States, about 58,000 Haitians protected by a temporary status granted after the 2010 earthquake feared losing it. Why cross by a road rather than at a border post? Because the Safe Third Country Agreement, in force since 2004, requires people to claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, but did not apply to crossings between official ports of entry. People who crossed were arrested by the RCMP, put through security checks, and their claims were then examined by the Immigration and Refugee Board.

In the summer of 2017, the Olympic Stadium opened its doors to asylum seekers, with up to 450 places planned; a regional reception program, PRAIDA, coordinated the help. The movement continued: in 2022, more than 38,900 people claimed asylum between ports of entry in Quebec.

On March 25, 2023, Canada and the United States extended the Agreement to unofficial crossings, and the road closed. The debate remains heated, and that is normal: it touches on capacity to receive people, on housing, on the safety of those who attempt more dangerous routes. But behind every number there were also gestures: workers, volunteers and neighbours who offered a bed, a coat or an answer before asking the next question.