A new US-Canada border deal aimed at halting the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial crossings has taken effect. Migrants caught crossing anywhere along the 3,145-mile (5,060km) border can now be sent back.
The accord closes a loophole that allowed migrants to claim asylum at unofficial ports of entry, such as Roxham Road between New York state and Quebec. A record 40,000 migrants crossed into Canada last year, mostly via that route.
Under the deal, Canada will also create a new refugee programme for 15,000 migrants from South and Central America. The original 2004 Safe Third Country Act required claims to be made in the first safe country reached, but only applied at official crossings.
Refugee advocates have criticised the deal as ineffective. Abdulla Daoud of The Refugee Centre in Montreal said it would not stop people and could incentivise human smuggling, adding that 15,000 places is too low compared to last year's 40,000 crossings.
The announcement came as President Joe Biden visited Ottawa to discuss economic, trade and immigration issues with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The leaders also pledged to reduce dependence on China for semiconductors and critical minerals, and discussed instability in Haiti.
