Periodically, I run into a discussion along the lines of “wouldn’t it be nice if we could have an open border with Canada”, due to our cordial relations and the hassle of border-crossing these days. Homeland Security concerns aggravated by differences on immigration policy are the reasons usually given for why Canadian border liberalization seems unlikely to occur.
For example, consider this post from ABC News’ Blotter:
According to Canadian news accounts, Justice Michael Phelan’s ruling struck down an agreement that once barred thousands of refugees seeking asylum in Canada. The judge said the United States does not protect refugees fleeing political persecution and torture, which international conventions require.
Instead, it adheres to rigid policies which may result in mistreatment, including forcing victims of abuse to return to the countries in which they were mistreated, he said.
As a result, the United States can no longer be considered a safe place for refugees, Phelan ruled. His ruling nullifies an existing U.S.-Canada agreement saying that if a refugee is turned away from one country, he or she cannot seek refuge in the other. The agreement was intended to reduce so-called “asylum shopping,” in which immigrants attempt to obtain refugee status from multiple countries.
While American border paranoia is understandable, it’s a sorry day when other countries openly note that the U.S. may no longer be a good destination for refugees looking for safety and opportunity.