The Canadian government said it's working with U.S. visa officials in Nigeria to mitigate the surge of migrants coming to the United States seeking a safe haven in neighboring Canada.

There's a growing number of Nigerian asylum seekers who legally travel to the United States on a visa and stay for a brief time before attempting to cross the border into Canada, according to the Canadian government. In response, three Canadian officials have been stationed to work with U.S. visa officials in the Nigerian city of Lagos to "combat abuse of U.S. travel documents," the government announced in a press release Monday.

"Coming across the border in a way that seeks to circumvent our procedures is no free ticket to Canada," Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale said in a statement. "We will continue to ensure an orderly managed border, including the compassionate treatment of those who genuinely need Canada's protection. And we will continue to work with the United States to deter the misuse of travel documents that has helped drive the influx."

Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen will also travel to the West African nation this month to meet with Nigerian officials about the issue.

"Our government’s priority first and foremost is to ensure that all laws are followed to protect the safety and security of Canadians," Hussen said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria did not respond to ABC News' request for comment Wednesday.

More than 25,000 asylum seekers were apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, mostly in Quebec, as they crossed "irregularly" into Canada from the United States between the ports of entry from January 2017 through March of this year. The influx of irregular border-crossers appears to be on the rise, and there's concern the number will soar as the weather warms up.

The number of asylum seekers apprehended by the national police force in the first three months of this year was more than double the amount in the same period last year. And last year, the number intercepted at the border more than tripled in July and August, according to figures from the Canadian government.

Many of the asylum seekers crossing into Canada last year were Haitians who feared they would lose their temporary protected status (TPS) in the United States, after President Donald Trump's administration announced it will end the program for Haitian immigrants by July 2019.

So far this year, most of the asylum seekers crossing into Canada by land have been Nigerian citizens, the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed to ABC News.

"Nigerians do not want to settle in the U.S. but in Canada. It is much easier for a citizen of Nigeria to obtain a tourist visa for the U.S. than for Canada," Stephane Handfield, an immigration lawyer in Montreal, told ABC News in French. "So they get a U.S. tourist visa, stay a few days in the U.S. and cross the Canadian border."

Handfield said it's also easier for asylum seekers to obtain refugee status in Canada than in the United States.

Nigerians are fleeing their home country for a number of reasons, such as poverty, persecution and violent conflict, including Boko Haram's years-long insurgency. The Nigeria-based jihadist group, which seeks to establish an Islamic state, has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced some 2.3 million since 2009, according to the latest figures from the United Nations.

"When people are fleeing persecution, whether they're in Nigeria or elsewhere, they will take whatever method and route is available to them," John Cockell, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Canada, told ABC News. "International humanitarian law recognizes this and that's why asylum seekers are not penalized for entering a country using irregular means, as many choose to do in the case of Canada."

"We feel [Canadian] authorities have actually done a very good job with managing the increased numbers," Cockell added.

The Canadian government said it will build new facilities for short-term accommodations at a popular border crossing into the province of Quebec from New York state. Canadian officials will also fast-track work permits for asylum seekers, so they can financially support themselves and their families while they wait to see if their claim for protection is granted.

"While we adhere to international conventions and want to offer asylum to those fleeing persecution and war, the fact remains that there are very specific laws, rules and criteria to be respected in order to find refuge in our country," Canada's Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement.

ABC News' Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/canada-sees-influx-nigerian-asylum-seekers-crossing-border/story?id=55041584

Nigerians, I hail o. Naija no dey carry last.

If only they will go there and behave well...

These same asylum seekers will enter someone's country and break their laws by committing crimes thereby spoiling the chances of those who want to enter for good reasons.

Bros let my people enter na, Afterall the land was given to you free by God

Dem no go still hear word.

See wetin one person don cause?? And of course its not dia fault oo

Currently Nigerians are very happy. May this kind of joy continue and spread to all areas of this nation,


Like for Amen

Share if you're happy

We are just everywhere yet we're seen as lazy.

I saw in my dream last night that Nigeria won Argentina and I saw a Nigerian player trying to help up an Argentine who was sitting on the ground. He was consoling him.

Getting a tourist visa to USA, get through to Canada and seek asylum. Why didn't I think of this a long time ago.

We av heard this before na, why force it down our throats. mean while canada should knw that not every black man meandering their boarder is a Nigerian.

Trump abeg quick quick send them back here.

They tot they were doing us when they were supporting you

Why are you recycling old news. It's been posted previously about 6 weeks ago.

See how low our politicians has brought us.

And they all have the means to jet out at the slightest provocation.

Musa

Too bad...I think our brothers out there are spoiling show for us. please I take God beg una. behave una self. dont make things hard for us.
meanwhile.
Like for Musa
Share for Messi

Old news.

thunder scatter Buhari Insha'Allah amin
Thunder scatter Buhari Insha'Allah amin
Thunder scatter aisha masha Allah amin
useless set of people

Arrrrrrrrrrgh!
Canada don WISE UP sharp-sharp!

Nigerians must just take advantage of everything.. Want go spoil my chance of porting to my country of birth.. Coz I know know how I find myself for naija

We are making name, we are making wave...... Either good or bad we'll get there. 9ja loitering around the globe since in the time of Cain the 'Vagabond'.

Ok what a better day to be a Nigerian than yesterday.

Bad leadership here have made people to leave this nation bụ hook or crook

We have free ticket to naija
Come back here my ppl

Free ticket

They are indirectly saying, stay in your SHITHOLE.....

peterkelechi30:
Too bad...I think our brothers out there are spoiling show for us. please I take God beg una. behave una self. dont make things hard for us.
meanwhile.
Like for Musa
Share for Messi

cheap..... Hate for you dear

igbodefender:
The Canadian government said it's working with U.S. visa officials in Nigeria to mitigate the surge of migrants coming to the United States seeking a safe haven in neighboring Canada.

There's a growing number of Nigerian asylum seekers who legally travel to the United States on a visa and stay for a brief time before attempting to cross the border into Canada, according to the Canadian government. In response, three Canadian officials have been stationed to work with U.S. visa officials in the Nigerian city of Lagos to "combat abuse of U.S. travel documents," the government announced in a press release Monday.

"Coming across the border in a way that seeks to circumvent our procedures is no free ticket to Canada," Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Ralph Goodale said in a statement. "We will continue to ensure an orderly managed border, including the compassionate treatment of those who genuinely need Canada's protection. And we will continue to work with the United States to deter the misuse of travel documents that has helped drive the influx."

Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen will also travel to the West African nation this month to meet with Nigerian officials about the issue.

"Our government’s priority first and foremost is to ensure that all laws are followed to protect the safety and security of Canadians," Hussen said in a statement.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria did not respond to ABC News' request for comment Wednesday.

More than 25,000 asylum seekers were apprehended by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, mostly in Quebec, as they crossed "irregularly" into Canada from the United States between the ports of entry from January 2017 through March of this year. The influx of irregular border-crossers appears to be on the rise, and there's concern the number will soar as the weather warms up.

The number of asylum seekers apprehended by the national police force in the first three months of this year was more than double the amount in the same period last year. And last year, the number intercepted at the border more than tripled in July and August, according to figures from the Canadian government.

Many of the asylum seekers crossing into Canada last year were Haitians who feared they would lose their temporary protected status (TPS) in the United States, after President Donald Trump's administration announced it will end the program for Haitian immigrants by July 2019.

So far this year, most of the asylum seekers crossing into Canada by land have been Nigerian citizens, the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed to ABC News.

"Nigerians do not want to settle in the U.S. but in Canada. It is much easier for a citizen of Nigeria to obtain a tourist visa for the U.S. than for Canada," Stephane Handfield, an immigration lawyer in Montreal, told ABC News in French. "So they get a U.S. tourist visa, stay a few days in the U.S. and cross the Canadian border."

Handfield said it's also easier for asylum seekers to obtain refugee status in Canada than in the United States.

Nigerians are fleeing their home country for a number of reasons, such as poverty, persecution and violent conflict, including Boko Haram's years-long insurgency. The Nigeria-based jihadist group, which seeks to establish an Islamic state, has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced some 2.3 million since 2009, according to the latest figures from the United Nations.

"When people are fleeing persecution, whether they're in Nigeria or elsewhere, they will take whatever method and route is available to them," John Cockell, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Canada, told ABC News. "International humanitarian law recognizes this and that's why asylum seekers are not penalized for entering a country using irregular means, as many choose to do in the case of Canada."

"We feel [Canadian] authorities have actually done a very good job with managing the increased numbers," Cockell added.

The Canadian government said it will build new facilities for short-term accommodations at a popular border crossing into the province of Quebec from New York state. Canadian officials will also fast-track work permits for asylum seekers, so they can financially support themselves and their families while they wait to see if their claim for protection is granted.

"While we adhere to international conventions and want to offer asylum to those fleeing persecution and war, the fact remains that there are very specific laws, rules and criteria to be respected in order to find refuge in our country," Canada's Minister of Transport Marc Garneau said in a statement.

ABC News' Ben Gittleson contributed to this report.

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/International/canada-sees-influx-nigerian-asylum-seekers-crossing-border/story?id=55041584

Hmmmm

In buhari's voice: Nigeria is now so good, Nigerians abroad are now looking for ways to come back

Nigerians are fast becoming the rats of the human population.

Ha! Just when I was planning to apply for US visa and follow my cousins

No it can't be.

This has to be a professional blogger trying to discourage my dreams

It can't be now