With temperatures dipping below -22°F and snowstorms transforming the landscape into a deadly trap, the border between the United States and Canada has become the scene of a dangerous fight for survival.
Migrants from distant countries, such as Venezuela, have ventured into extreme conditions, searching for refuge that often seems unreachable. Recent police raids in Alberta and Manitoba, located in the southeastern part of the country, have revealed the hazards of these crossings, highlighting the political and humanitarian tensions tied to an increasingly surveilled border.
In Alberta, police intercepted nine Venezuelans, including five children, who were struggling through the snow with suitcases and inadequate clothing to face the bitter cold. A second group, made up of adults from Jordan, Sudan, Chad, and Mauritius, was located using a thermal camera-equipped plane from law enforcement. Both groups lacked proper gear for the harsh conditions.
Lisa Moreland, deputy commissioner of the Canadian police, emphasized that the situation could have ended tragically, as had happened in 2022 with the Patel family, whose deaths due to freezing temperatures deeply shook public opinion.
The United States’ immigration policy under President Donald Trump’s new administration has further fueled the migrant flow. Although he has repeatedly claimed that Canada is a target for illegal migrant trafficking and drug distribution, the data shows that the reality is quite different.
In 2023, U.S. authorities arrested about 24,000 people trying to illegally enter the country via the northern border, but this number is far lower than the 1.5 million apprehensions made along the border with Mexico.
In response to concerns raised by Trump, the Canadian government announced significant investments to strengthen border security, including the use of Black Hawk helicopters and surveillance drones. Additionally, provinces have implemented resources to address this growing challenge, with Alberta recently establishing an armed patrol unit.
However, while Trump’s mass deportation policy remains a point of contention, predictions of a mass exodus to the “Maple Leaf country” have proven unfounded.
With the closure of Roxham Road, a key point for irregular crossings, the impact on the number of migrants arriving in Canada has decreased, although asylum requests at official ports of entry have increased. The current law, which allows people to submit a residence application after 14 days of stay in the country, has encouraged many to take risky journeys to find shelter.
As Abdulla Daoud of the Refugee Centre in Montreal, an organization supporting refugees and asylum seekers, clarified: “For those with no other choice, risks become a necessity.” The situation highlights a tragedy that continues to affect hundreds fleeing unsustainable living conditions.
Thus, the northern border is not just a geographic line, but a barrier made of hopes and despair, where the desire for safety and a better life collides with the harshness of a merciless winter.
