Quebec Border Surge: Asylum Claims Rise, Returns to U.S. Not Evident

(SAINT-BERNARD-DE-LACOLLE, QUEBEC, CANADA) Canadian border officers at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing have processed 14,900 asylum applications so far in 2025, almost double the pace from a year earlier, according to Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) data that runs from January 1 to December 14, 2025. The same period in 2024 saw just over 7,700 people processed for asylum at the crossing, a comparison that undercuts broad claims that a “dash for Canada” is slowing at this key Quebec entry point.

Why these numbers matter

Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle has long been one of the most watched gateways for people trying to move from the United States 🇺🇸 into Canada 🇨🇦 to seek protection. Each increase:

• Puts pressure on CBSA officers who screen claimants.
• Stresses shelters in the Montreal area.
• Adds to the caseload at the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB), which must later decide who meets Canada’s legal test for refugee protection.

Drivers cited for the rise

People who work closely with migrant communities point to several forces behind the 2025 increase:

• Escalated ICE raids that began in January and intensified from May to June.
• Growth of camps in the United States targeting citizens from specific countries.
• A broader sense of increased vulnerability that pushes people to relocate quickly, even when the next step is risky.

Montreal immigration consultant Loujin Khalil links the increase to those forces, reflecting what many migrants and their lawyers describe privately: when workplace arrests and street stops rise, people who already feel unsafe tend to move.

What CBSA data shows (and does not show)

CBSA’s snapshot for this period does not show a clear “slowdown” at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. Instead, it shows:

• More people arriving to ask for asylum.
• A faster rate of arrivals compared with the year before.

The source material also notes it found no specific data confirming broader “slowdown” trends or increased returns to the United States at this crossing, despite public debate about tougher controls and more removals.

The key measurable here: 14,900 processed claims through December 14, 2025, compared with just over 7,700 the year before — a near doubling at this Quebec corridor.

What “processed” means at the border

For arriving families and single adults, “processed” is a high-stakes first step. At a Canadian port of entry, CBSA officers:

1. Check identity.
2. Run eligibility screening.
3. If eligible, refer cases to the IRB’s Refugee Protection Division.

The IRB then holds hearings and decides whether a person will be protected in Canada. This is not a quick decision; delays can leave people in limbo while they try to work, find school spots for children, and secure stable housing.

Broader land-border and travel context

Different measures give different pictures of cross-border activity:

• US Bureau of Transportation Statistics: In September 2025, trucks entering the United States from Canada totaled 454,488, down 3.7% from September 2024. (Trade traffic ≠ asylum movement, but it shows some cross-border activity can fall while protection claims rise at specific places.)
• Statistics Canada: In October 2025,
  • US residents made 1.8 million trips to Canada, up 3.0% year over year (breaking an eight-month decline).
  • Canadian returns from the United States fell 26.3% to 2.3 million.
  • Air arrivals from the US were up 6.3%, while automobile travel was unchanged.

These tourism and family trips are different from asylum claims, but they affect day-to-day conditions in border towns, staffing, wait times, and public perception.

Irregular border crossers and data gaps

The IRB tracks “irregular border crossers” — people who cross between ports and then make a refugee claim after interception or presenting themselves to authorities. The IRB data notes a recent influx but:

• Does not provide a full 2025 total in the available material.
• Suppresses very small values under 20 for privacy.

This makes it harder to compare port-of-entry claims (like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle) with between-port claims, which can spike when policies change.

US policy context

Policy changes in the United States influence movement:

• Since June 9, 2025, the White House proclamation titled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats” has limited entry for nationals from designated countries.
• Canadian passport holders, including dual citizens, are exempt, but the rule can affect permanent residents of Canada who may now need US visas.
• For migrants already in the US, additional restrictions can deepen the sense that legal options are closing — even if the rule is not directly aimed at them.

Why ICE raids matter to border flows

Khalil’s point about ICE raids helps explain the seemingly mixed indicators. People with jobs, children in school, or pending US immigration cases may still decide to leave if arrest risk rises. These decisions often trade one uncertainty for another:

• Reaching Canada and making an asylum application begins a long process with strict proof requirements and the possibility of refusal.
• The immediate driver is often fear of enforcement rather than a calculation based on outcomes.

Local community impacts

When claimants arrive in clusters, local systems feel the effect quickly:

• Shelters can fill up fast; families may end up in temporary rooms far from support networks.
• Schools need to add language support and counseling.
• Employers in service sectors may see new workers ready to start, but work authorization is not immediate for everyone and the paperwork can be confusing.
• Community groups repeatedly must explain that an asylum claim is not a promise of permanent status but a legal process with high stakes.

Institutional roles and the importance of data

Officials on both sides of the border have reasons to be cautious:

• CBSA applies eligibility rules and security screening at ports of entry.
• IRB decides claims based on evidence, not politics.
• US authorities manage their own border enforcement and interior policies.

Because different agencies count different things, dramatic phrases like “dash” or “slowdown” can spread faster than the underlying data supports. The source material says it did not find published figures showing increased returns to the United States at this crossing to back claims of a widespread slowdown.

Practical information for travelers and those monitoring the border

People planning travel near the border — including those bringing family members who may make refugee claims — watch wait times and port conditions:

• CBSA publishes live tools showing delays at many land crossings, including routes to Quebec.
• Travelers can check the official CBSA Border Wait Times page at https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/bwt-taf/menu-eng.html.

Note: wait times do not reveal asylum totals, but they can indicate when a crossing is under strain.

Patterns and analysis

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the jump in asylum applications at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle matches a familiar pattern:

• When enforcement fear rises in the United States and people learn a Canadian entry point is functioning, word spreads through communities and social media.
• Arrivals can climb quickly even without a formal policy shift in Canada.

Key takeaway

CBSA’s count is the clearest available record in this snapshot: more people are showing up at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle and asking Canada for protection than did last year. They are doing so during a period when migrants in the United States report higher anxiety linked to ICE raids, shifting rules, and the sense that time is running out.