Safe Third Country Agreement between the US and Canada

The Safe Third Country Agreement has been in effect since 2004 between the US and Canada. This agreement states that:

• If immigrants arrive to the US through Canada with the intention of applying for political asylum or refuge, they must first apply for it in Canada.
• If immigrants arrive to Canada through the US with the intention of applying for political asylum or refuge, they must first apply for it in the US.

In this way, these two countries help each other to regulate the number of asylum requests, protect international human rights, and host immigrants (or immigrant families) who need it most.

Since they are First World countries, they have always been prime destinations for thousands of immigrants fleeing the danger, persecution or domestic violence of their countries.

However, the current government of the US has tried to increase restrictions and requirements for political asylum applications since President Trump took office in 2017.

In addition to that, the global Coronavirus pandemic also contributed and helped the current administration to ban immigrants from entering the country and suspend political asylum hearings for a considerable period of time.

This generated an immediate reaction in a Canadian court, where a local judge asked the government to revoke the Safe Third Country Agreement with the US.

Canada no longer views the US as a safe destination for asylum seekers

A Canadian Federal Court judge ruled against the agreement with the US, declaring that the country is no longer a safe place for asylum seekers who have shared hundreds of testimonies about the conditions, restrictions and regulations implemented by the Trump government.

The judge declares that the Government of Canada must restructure this agreement with the US, and allow immigrants to apply for political asylum without the safe third country policy.

Several Canadian government officials have stated that this order could significantly increase the number of asylum applications. However, the judge argues that the US is no longer a safe country for immigrants and that it violates the protocols of the agreement, at least during the health crisis.

Do you need to submit an immigration application in the US? Then, don’t hesitate to contact Motion Law Immigration.

The positive side of the situation

It is well known that some of the immigration processes of the US have been considerably modified during the global Coronavirus pandemic. This includes applications for political asylum.

In addition to that, President Trump is constantly trying to reduce the number of immigrants entering the country, especially immigrants who cross the borders without legal documentation.

However, it does not mean that the processes established by local law can be easily modified. Therefore, if you choose the right process for your current immigration needs, your application will most likely receive a positive response and you will be able to legally enter and reside in the US.

The vast experience of our specialized immigration attorneys has taught us that immigrants often do not consider the wide range of possibilities they have, and often choose a process that is not right for their circumstances.

Therefore, the best solution is for you to seek reliable help to properly prepare your immigration case and to fulfill your dream of coming to the US.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.