Canadian Politician To Discuss Unprecedented Flood Of Haitian Immigrants Crossing Border
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Canadian politician is scheduled to be in Miami Thursday to talk about the unprecedented flood of recent migrants crossing the Canadian border from the U.S.
Emmanuel Dubourg, a member of parliament, will take part in a meeting at Norte Dame D'Haiti Catholic Church in Little Haiti.
Uncertainty about what the Trump administration will do, and fear in the current climate, is driving this exodus among immigrants, particularly, now, among Haitians who believe the Temporary Protected Status they've had since the devastating 2010 earthquake will be canceled.
Canada says the number of asylum seekers crossing from the U.S. to Quebec is unprecedented -- 3,000 in July and almost 4,000 in just the first half of August, equaling around 250 people crossing every day.
They're coming so fast the army has set up tents at the border as they're processed.
Most are then taken to Montreal, whose temporary housing is overflowing. So many beds are needed that even the city's Olympic stadium is even a shelter.
"It's not going to be an open door. That's definitely not. And it's sad because we do think that many of them believe that they are here to stay, which is not necessarily true," said Francine Dupuis, who helps asylum seekers settle.
The meeting at Norte Dame D'Haiti Catholic Church is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. Thursday. A leader in the Haitian community says the meeting is open to the public.
