Canada continues to strengthen border security and immigration integrity

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, provided key updates on the impacts of recent measures to reinforce the integrity of our shared border with the United-States (U.S.) and our immigration system. These ongoing efforts include Canada's Border Plan, released in December 2024.

Together, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Public Safety, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have taken concrete steps to minimize unnecessary border volumes, increase info-sharing, and reduce non-genuine visitors and illegal crossings at the border. These measures are already delivering results. The accompanying backgrounder outlines IRCC's measures and key results, and provides an overview of actions taken to protect the border and prevent fraud.

Public Safety is coordinating the $1.3-billion effort to further strengthen the border, and disrupt illegal cross-border activity. In the coming weeks, the Government of Canada will further enhance real-time surveillance of Canada's border and increase presence to support communities. We have already deployed 60 new drones along our border with the U.S., and will be deploying additional surveillance towers and purchasing new technology, such as x-rays, mobile x-rays and hand-held chemical analyzers.

Canada's law enforcement agencies – the RCMP and the CBSA – are working together to ensure they have the officers they need in case there is a surge in the number of asylum seekers coming into Canada. Last year, the CBSA removed over 16,000 individuals from Canada. As committed to under the Border Plan, the CBSA is investing additional resources to further increase removals by another 25 percent this year. The Government of Canada has conducted joint planning sessions with all provinces and territories so that all orders of government work together to bolster border security.

Public Safety is also leading the establishment of a Joint Intelligence Group, which will expand the RCMP and the Communications Security Establishment's intelligence collection capacity, enabling these agencies to target transnational organized crime and fentanyl trafficking more effectively. Finally, the RCMP will pull together resources from law enforcement and the financial sector and leverage existing activities, enhancing cooperation and information sharing on sophisticated money laundering schemes.

Since announcing the Border Plan, the Government of Canada has moved forward on a number of initiatives that will enhance security at the border. Securing the Canada-U.S. Border: Actions and Outcomes to Date demonstrates this progress.

Quotes

"Border security is a top priority across the Government of Canada. The progress on the immigration integrity side complements enforcement action, as well as new detection and deterrence tools, and contingency plans should there be an increase in irregular migration at the border. Together with upcoming investments and activities across government, you see a very clear picture of strong border management and integrity."

 – The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety

"We must preserve the integrity of our immigration system so it remains well-managed, sustainable and trusted by Canadians. By reducing non-genuine visitors, preventing illegal border crossings, and improving information-sharing with the United States, we are taking concrete steps to protect the safety of both sides of the border."

 – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

• The Border Plan includes an investment of $1.3 billion to further strengthen our border security with more personnel, tools, advanced technology, drones, surveillance equipment and helicopters.
  
  
• Since the introduction of an additional protocol to the Safe Third Country Agreement, in partnership with the U.S., the number of asylum claims from people crossing illegally has dropped from an average of 165 per day in March 2023 to 12 per day since then.
  
  
• Since implementing a partial visa requirement for Mexican nationals in February 2024, Canada has seen a significant decrease in asylum claims from Mexican nationals. This change has reduced claims from Mexican citizens at airports across the country by 97%. At the same time, southbound illegal crossings by Mexican nationals from Canada into the U.S. also fell by 72% compared to 2023.
  
  
• On December 24, 2024, the Government of Canada ended the practice of "flagpoling", which happens when a temporary resident leaves Canada and immediately returns to a port of entry to get immigration services. This practice used significant resources at the border, detracted from U.S. and Canadian border enforcement activities, and slowed cross-border traffic. After this measure was implemented, there was an immediate decrease in flagpoling by around 86%, resulting in savings of 4,000 to 8,000 days of work for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
  
  
• IRCC has heightened scrutiny of visitor visa applications from countries with the highest rates of abuse, based on a new system of fraud detection. Our swift actions have led to an 89% drop in illegal U.S. crossings by foreign nationals in Canada from June to December and a 61% increase in refusals from high-risk countries. Asylum claims by Canadian visa holders also dropped by 18% (from 7,174 claims in October 2024 to 5,832 in November 2024.
  
  
• Since IRCC reformed the International Student Program and launched a system to verify post-secondary learning institution acceptance letters for study permit applications, the number of illegal U.S. crossings of Canadian study permit holders dropped by 91%.
  
  
• The CBSA is Canada's first line of defense at 1,200 ports of entry across the country, while the RCMP is primarily responsible for border security between official points of entry.
  
  
• To further increase CBSA's detection abilities, the Agency is training and deploying new canine teams across the country. It is also investing in new technology and tools, such as imaging tools, artificial intelligence and hand-held chemical analyzers.
  
  
• The RCMP also continues its efforts to detect, investigate, and disrupt criminal threats by targeting transnational and serious organized crime groups involved in the production and trafficking of illegal substances, including opioids.

Related product

• Measures to strengthen border security and Canada's immigration system 
• Securing the Canada-U.S. Border: Actions and Outcomes to Date

Associated links

• Government of Canada reduces immigration
• Strengthening temporary residence programs for sustainable volumes
• Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement
• Strengthening Border Security
• Claiming asylum in Canada
• Know the rules before you apply to study in Canada

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SOURCE Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Contacts for media only: Alice Hansen, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Renée LeBlanc Proctor, Press Secretary, Minister's Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]; Media Relations, Communications Sector, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 613-952-1650, [email protected]