The popular unofficial border crossing reopened in November, after being closed for much of the pandemic
Quebec is asking the federal government to close a popular, unofficial border crossing south of Montreal because the province can't handle the number of asylum seekers entering the country, but refugee advocates are rejecting Quebec's claims.
More than 100 refugee claimants are entering Quebec every day from the United States through a rural path called Roxham Road, Premier François Legault told reporters Wednesday.
"It's unacceptable," Legault said at the legislature. "It's impossible because we don't have the capacity."
The federal government takes 14 months to study an asylum claim and in the meantime, Quebec has to house and care for would-be refugees and school their children, the premier said.
"We cannot afford to give services," Legault said, adding that if the current pace continues, Quebec will not have adequate housing for 36,000 new arrivals.
Refugee advocates, however, say they don't accept the premier's claim.
"What is Quebec's capacity for compassion? For justice? It's maybe not unlimited, but the capacity is there," Paul Clarke, interim executive director of Action Réfugiés Montréal, said Wednesday in an interview.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/legault-wants-roxham-closed-1.6449302
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