The number of immigrants leaving the United States to apply for asylum in Canada has never been this high. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), in the last two months alone, seven thousand people have requested asylum from the Canadians. This is happening because the American government has placed a series of restrictions, making it harder for immigrants to stay in the country governed by Donald Trump.

During an interview with CNN, the American news network, the spokesperson for RCMP, Claude Castonguay, said that Canada is a welcoming country. However, he warned: “Asking for asylum does not guarantee permanent residency here.”  Most of these immigrants were born in impoverished countries that have undergone natural disasters, such as Haiti. After the 2010 earthquake that destroyed the Caribbean country, former President Barack Obama granted temporary asylum to many Haitians. President Trump’s government, however, announced that the program would end in 2018, which has led thousands of Haitians living in the United States to seek shelter beyond its northern borders.

10 thousand immigrants have arrived in Canada from the USA since January.

Questions

Why has the influx of immigrants increased in Canada?

Which regions are these immigrants originally from?