The U.S.-Canada border has seen a notable increase in illegal crossings this year, with Border Patrol apprehending 16,500 migrants in fiscal year 2024, up from 10,000 in 2023 and just 2,200 in 2022, according to federal statistics.
Internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents obtained by CBS News show that the initiative will involve changes to the implementation of the "Safe Third Country" asylum agreement between the U.S. and Canada, a pact that permits both nations to return asylum-seekers who cross their shared border under the assumption that both countries provide safe refuge.
"DHS carefully reviewed its implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement with Canada and concluded that it could streamline that process at the border without impacting noncitizens' ability to have access to a full and fair procedure for determining a claim to asylum or equivalent temporary protection," the department added.
Two key changes will be introduced to accelerate the processing of migrants. First, asylum-seekers will now be required to have their documents ready when U.S. asylum officers conduct initial screenings to determine their eligibility under the agreement. Previously, migrants could delay these screenings to gather necessary documentation.
The second change will reduce the time migrants have to consult with legal counsel before their screenings, with the minimum consultation time shortened to four hours, down from the previous 24-hour minimum.
Migrants subject to the Safe Third Country agreement are prohibited from seeking asylum in the U.S. and may be returned to Canada. Conversely, migrants who cross into Canada from the U.S. and fall under the agreement can be sent back to the U.S. by Canadian authorities. These policy updates are scheduled to take effect on August 14, according to the DHS documents.
Despite the surge in crossing from Canada, the number remains small compared to the southern border, where over 1.3 million apprehensions have been recorded in fiscal year 2024.
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