Nigerians are walking into Canada, prompting request for U.S. to take action

The flow of asylum seekers that began this past summer has resumed this spring. Most of the new arrivals are Nigerians.
By Selena Ross
April 28 at 6:00 AM

MONTREAL — As Ni­ger­ian asylum seekers flood into Canada across a ditch in Upstate New York, Canadian authorities are asking the United States for help — but not with managing the influx at the border.

Instead, they want U.S. immigration officials to reduce the foot traffic by screening Nigerians more stringently before granting them U.S. visas.

It is a ripple effect that few expected last summer when people, mostly Haitians, began to walk into Quebec via an “irregular” border crossing north of Plattsburgh, N.Y., and seek refugee status.

With the coming of spring, the flow has picked up again. But recently, the asylum seekers have been mostly Ni­ger­ian, and their route to the border is more problematic, Canadian officials say.

Many Haitians had lived in the United States for years before suddenly learning they would lose their protected status and fleeing north. But many of the Nigerian asylum seekers are arriving in Quebec with recently issued U.S. visitor visas, said Mathieu Genest, a spokesman for Canada’s immigration minister.

“They’re not using the visa for the reason it was intended for,” he said.

Canada is not asking U.S. officials to refuse entry to Nigerians, Genest said. It is seeking stricter screening to ensure that Nigerians who are granted U.S. visitor visas truly intend to return home.

The request is an unsurprising one between two countries that have collaborated for decades on migration-related matters. But it also is a sign that Canada is feeling new pressure on its borders as U.S. immigration and refugee policies shift.

“Instead of Trump throwing us back to Nigeria, we appreciate Canada right now for accepting people,” said one Nigerian man who walked into Quebec in March.

The man, who gave his name only as Isaac, carried a single duffel bag as he prepared last week to move with his family into an apartment in Montreal. Many Nigerian claimants in Montreal will not speak to reporters for fear of jeopardizing their status.

For six weeks, Isaac and his family have stayed at a shelter on the city’s outskirts, a onetime youth detention center that was converted last year into emergency housing for refugee claimants.

“I don’t want to go back to Nigeria,” he said. “Nobody’s safe.”

He arrived in Texas early last year on a visitor visa, he said, with plans to get another kind of visa when it expired or else claim U.S. refu­gee status for himself, his wife and their two young children.

But the election of Donald Trump changed his mind. “He doesn’t want immigrants,” he said. “Canada is open for an immigrant.”


The Canadian government has been trying to tone down its welcoming image — or, rather, to provide accurate information about how it processes refugee claims. Ethnic communities in the United States have been warned that actually winning refu­gee status here is hard.

But the campaign has been ineffective. As of mid-April, nearly 6,000 people had entered Quebec unofficially, three times as many as during the same period in 2017. And in 2017, claims across the country had doubled from the year before.

[Canada’s asylum claims are spiking dramatically. Will it restrict its welcome at last?]

A complicated web of factors explains why most of the new claimants are Nigerian.

For years before Trump’s election, the number of Nigerian refugee claims was already climbing worldwide, driven by the violence of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram and other problems, including persecution related to sexual orientation and religion. In Canada, Nigerians were the biggest group of claimants in 2016.


Mary Chukwuwuekezie, who walked into Quebec with her three children in November after staying in the United States for 11 months on a visitor visa, said conditions in Nigeria are worsening.

“They kidnap,” she said. “They burn houses. They’ll even burn a church.”

But it has never been easy for Nigerians — or many other asylum seekers — to enter Canada to lodge a claim in the first place, partly because of its geography. Most foreigners need a visa to board a flight to North America, and the United States grants visitor visas more freely, said Benn Proctor, a researcher at the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute.

No one can officially enter Canada from the United States as a refugee claimant because of the Safe Third Country Agreement, which forces people arriving in either country to make their claim where they first land. Last year, however, a way around that became apparent, when news organizations and past border-crossers on social media publicized the locations of Canada’s unofficial land crossings, opening an opportunity for Nigerians.

“If your final [destination] is Canada, you’ll want to walk across the border,” Proctor said.

The State Department says that it has “strong working relationships” with Canadian colleagues and that screening is constantly improving, but it isn’t planning any bigger changes to its visa program.

“National security is our top priority when adjudicating visa applications,” a department representative said in a statement. “At this time, we have no changes to our visa application process to announce.”

The United States has also become less appealing to Nigerians as a place to stay rather than to pass through, they say. Many took personally two comments reportedly made by Trump — one last June about Nigerian immigrants going “back to their huts” and another in January about African “s---hole” countries.

Winning U.S. asylum claims has become much harder, as well. The approval rate dropped 26 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services statistics compiled by Human Rights First.

Eleanor Acer, the Washington-based group’s director of refu­gee protection, said Canada is well aware that, for many people, the only way to claim asylum in any country is to get a visitor visa first.

“It’s shocking and disappointing that they are trying to encourage another country to deny visas to people who are, in some cases, legitimately seeking protection from persecution,” she said.

As a signatory to international conventions, Acer said, Canada should open its doors further and “actually terminate its Safe Third Country Agreement . . . if the United States is simply not meeting that standard, given its harsh treatment of asylum seekers.”

Canadian officials have said they are not looking to abandon the agreement, although last week, they struck a slightly different tone.

Given the current numbers of asylum seekers, “we have contingency plans,” Genest said. “That being said, we are constantly in conversation with the U.S., making sure that the Safe Third Country Agreement is working for both countries.”

Many of Canada’s new asylum seekers may end up disappointed. Of asylum claims processed last year — a minority of the total awaiting adjudication — more than half of the Nigerians were rejected, a significant jump from the previous three years, and nearly three-quarters of the Haitians were rejected, up from about half.

Their likely fate: deportation.

Source :
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/nigerians-are-walking-into-canada-prompting-request-for-us-to-take-action/2018/04/27/f9357a0c-45b6-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.ed888608faf1

Any moves to survive apart from crime...
If US no want Una,pls move.. U ain't a tree �... Jacob moved in the bible.. Abraham moved... Even Jesus moved... Movement for survival is as old as mankind

The effect of this is that US visitor visas would be more difficult to get.

rusher14:
The effect of this is that US visitor visas would be more difficult to get.

so? Should they rather wait to be deported back to Nigeria so that u can find it easier to get u.s visas. Aboki rulers have turned Nigeria into a nonsense place from 1969 till date. Best thing for liberal minded southerners is to move move move...no matter the cost

Modified:
The guy below me thinks because I hate aboki, that means I hate every northerner. No! I would rather have the late Yaradua keep ruling Nigeria than have an incompetent southerner. I however know that the northern majority have refused western education in favour of religious extreemism. I also know that it is these uneducated people who backed the northern military juntas that wrecked these country. It is also these type of ppl that are backing Buhari for 2nd term

Ppl who suddenly demanded for sharia law in a secular country because a southerner was in power.

Bede2u:
so? Should they rather wait to be deported back to Nigeria so that u can find it easier to get u.s visas. Aboki rulers have turned Nigeria into a nonsense place from 1969 till date. Best thing for liberal minded southerners is to move move move...no matter the cost

Lol.

Be there making mouth.

Are you in the states yourself?

Modified:

I just realised how hypocritical you are.

On another thread you are canvassing for PDP flagbearers at the 2019 elections.

You had Your preference in Dankwabo but made room for Markafi and Atiku.

Yet it is the same you saying Aboki rulers have ruined Nigeria.

years ago... we were doing fine, other African countries envied us, we were regarded as the backbone of Africa, her pride and her hope for civilization... but today, here we are, tribalism, hatred, resentment,corruption,greed has ruined our great nation, everybody is running away, the youth kill themselves for politicians who don't give a Bleep about them...if, only death was not a sin, then I would have ended the miserable lives of those politicians, starting from the president to the Senate... they have ruined Nigeria

rusher14:
The effect of this is that US visitor visas would be more difficult to get.

And yes, very well it should be.

The Canadian government is now urging the US embassy in Nigeria to stop gving out visas like candy to Nigerian applicants who seek US visas and that they should try to use more stricter screening measures to ensure that Nigerians who are granted US visitor visas do intend to return back to Nigeria.

Huh...it obvious that these people dont know that some Nigerian are very good expert liars when it comes to convincing the US visas officers to grant them visas.

Time2Smile:

Nigerians are walking into Canada, prompting request for U.S. to take action



Instead, they want U.S. immigration officials to reduce the foot traffic by screening Nigerians more stringently before granting them U.S. visas.

Lol. Here we go again. Insincere people spoiling it for the good ones that want to travel to the US for visit or other genuine reasons.

Beautyaddy:


And yes, very well it should be.

Huh...it obvious that these people dont know that some Nigerian are very good expert liars when it comes to convincing the US visas officers to grant them visas.

It is already very difficult to get a Visiting Visa to the U. S. Those that are able to get it usually have high paying jobs and quite successful in Nigeria.

The bigger problem is the brain drain going on in this country. When the "educated elites" feel the need to take this kind of route, all in the bid to leave Nigeria. It leads one to question our survival as a country.

The future indeed looks bleak, the Doctors are leaving, The smart, intelligent graduates are leaving for further studies abroad without plan of coming back. We are losing our Intellectual and human capital on a daily basis. Then who are those left to develop the country?

Time2Smile:

It is already very difficult to get a Visiting Visa to the U. S. Those that are able to get it usually have high paying jobs and quite successful in Nigeria.

The bigger problem is the brain drain going on in this country. When the "educated elites" feel the need to take this kind of route, all in the bid to leave Nigeria. It leads one to question our survival as a country.

The future indeed looks bleak, the Doctors are leaving, The smart, intelligent graduates are leaving for further studies abroad without plan of coming back. We are losing our Intellectual and human capital on a daily basis. Then who are those left to develop the country?

That's not true!

If that was the case then why have there been a high influx of Nigerians on expired and unexpired temporary US visas flooding into Canada illegally through the US-Canadian border seeking for asylum?

If those Nigerians who are granted US visas are really with high paying jobs and quite successful in Nigeria then they should not be overstaying their presence in the US or crossing illegally into Canada to seek fake asylum.

We are our own problem.

Bede2u:
so? Should they rather wait to be deported back to Nigeria so that u can find it easier to get u.s visas. Aboki rulers have turned Nigeria into a nonsense place from 1969 till date. Best thing for liberal minded southerners is to move move move...no matter the cost

Easy bro, it's not everything you respond to especially when u are not making sense

Bede2u:
so? Should they rather wait to be deported back to Nigeria so that u can find it easier to get u.s visas. Aboki rulers have turned Nigeria into a nonsense place from 1969 till date. Best thing for liberal minded southerners is to move move move...no matter the cost

So by destroying other genuine people chance of getting a visit because of their selfish interest?

Beautyaddy:


That's not true!

If that was the case then why have there been a high influx of Nigerians on expired and unexpired temporary US visas flooding into Canada illegally through the US-Canadian border seeking for asylum?

If those Nigerians who are granted US visas are really with high paying jobs and quite successful in Nigeria then they should not be overstaying their presence in the US or crossing illegally into Canada to seek fake asylum.

I will have to disagree with you. The key word here is usually, most of those that are able to obtain B1/B2 (visit) visas are relatively well off compared to the rest of the country. One of those mentioned in the article came in with his wife and two children, another woman was with her three children. Do you think anyone without a good source of income will be able to convince the VO about an intention to go for a "vacation" with the whole family?. A trip that cost Millions of Naira. Of course, some do slip through but most are not your "I-can't-find-job-in-Nigeria" economic migrant.

I wholeheartedly agree with your statement in bold. But, sadly that is not the case. Quite a number of people are oblivious to how difficult it is to survive in the U.S as an illegal. Then Canada becomes the next available option. Another factor is the sense of hopelessness and anarchy in the country. These people think their children will be better off in the long run because they can't see a future for them in the country. So they emigrate from Nigeria while they have the resources to do so.

Living under the perceptual fear of Kidnapping, herds-men attacks might be enough reason to seek asylum. Some do get it, but trust Nigerians to abuse the system.

Time2Smile:

It is already very difficult to get a Visiting Visa to the U. S. Those that are able to get it usually have high paying jobs and quite successful in Nigeria.

The bigger problem is the brain drain going on in this country. When the "educated elites" feel the need to take this kind of route, all in the bid to leave Nigeria. It leads one to question our survival as a country.

The future indeed looks bleak, the Doctors are leaving, The smart, intelligent graduates are leaving for further studies abroad without plan of coming back. We are losing our Intellectual and human capital on a daily basis. Then who are those left to develop the country?

It's not just Nigeria the brain drain is happening all over Africa and no one is seeing anything wrong with it. Africa is growing and has one of the youngest populations in the world with idiots at the helm of affairs and now the smart ones are all leaving, we will still continued to be ruled by idiots

Why are the Canadians complaining? Were they not mocking Trump and his anti-immigration stance.

Biko, they should accommodate them. The US has one of the most stringent visa applications. Anyone that gets into the US should be able to enter Canada.

-Lord

I am leaving too. I don't care which way. Buhari I dash you Nigeria

see how they line up like funani's cows that are going to gaze at a field

Life is Dynamic.

Freezing to death

Hmm

Coward Nigerians who can't fight to make life better for themselves in their own country. They prefer to run to the "racist" white man's land. It's a shame.

rusher14:


Lol.

Be there making mouth.

Are you in the states yourself?

Modified:

I just realised how hypocritical you are.

On another thread you are canvassing for PDP flagbearers at the 2019 elections.

You had Your preference in Dankwabo but made room for Markafi and Atiku.

Yet it is the same you saying Aboki rulers have ruined Nigeria.

2019presidency is definitely going to the north. There is nothing we can do about it.
Every voter has to settle for someone or else your vote will waste.
I think the rotational presidency should be made constitutional or else, presidency will forever remain in the north esp with the disunity in the south.
Apc presents southerner, Pdp presents northerner and vice versa.

This story is 100% true. I can attest to it, its the new thing in town...as usual Nigerians overdo everything, surely this will cast in no time.

Pathetic!

chaii,the way nigerians are flooding everywere we could easily claim the ol world....chaiiii....

Hahaha, no be today now, I saw several Nigerians in Toronto who came from the US to seek asylum, but not only Nigerians, Haitians, and several people from Mexico and all over Central and South Americans are also doing the asylum stuff but you got to have a good story to stand a chance of getting the asylum, I met a lady from Democratic Republic of Congo who was straight and claimed to be a lesbian and she was granted and got her asylum approved, another woman claimed domestic violence from Africa with doctors report and was also granted but it is getting difficult to get approved now because of several balonies from claimants