The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) intercepted 44 asylum seekers and three alleged smugglers attempting to enter Canada from the United States in Stanstead, Quebec, overnight on Sunday. The group was traveling in a truck and was stopped near Haskell Road with assistance from provincial police. Among those apprehended were children.

Following their arrest, the asylum seekers were taken to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) office in Stanstead, as confirmed by Miguel Bégin, the CBSA's east border district director. The incident occurs amid ongoing discussions about illegal crossings and drug trafficking at the Canada-U.S. border, which U.S. President Donald Trump has cited as reasons for imposing higher tariffs on Canada.

In response to border security concerns, Canada is implementing a $1.3 billion plan aimed at enhancing border control. This initiative includes hiring thousands of law enforcement officers and increasing aerial surveillance.

Bégin stated that most of the migrants were transferred to the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle regional processing center for screening to determine their eligibility for asylum in Canada. He noted, "It is highly likely that several migrants will be returned to the United States in the coming hours. Some were already returned yesterday because they did not meet the Safe Third Country Agreement exemption criteria."

The Safe Third Country Agreement stipulates that individuals cannot claim asylum in Canada if they enter through an official land border crossing from the U.S., which is considered a safe country for refugees. Bégin did not disclose the countries of origin for the migrants.

The three alleged smugglers face charges under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for allegedly facilitating the illegal entry of individuals into Canada. They appeared in court via video conference on Sunday and are currently detained in a provincial prison, with a court date set for August 6.

The CBSA reported a significant increase in asylum requests at the Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle crossing, with over 3,000 requests registered in July 2025, compared to just 600 in July 2024. Frantz André, a spokesperson and coordinator for a local advocacy group, expressed concern over the Trump administration's mass deportation policies, urging Prime Minister Mark Carney to reconsider Canada's participation in the Safe Third Country Agreement.

André remarked, "People are very scared of what's happening south of the border," and suggested that Canada should establish a special program for individuals from countries like Haiti seeking refuge, similar to the support provided to Ukrainian refugees.