Canada orders asylum claimants who crossed U.S. border irregularly to leave or face deportation

Key Takeaways

• It has been reported that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) sent warning letters telling certain asylum seekers who crossed the U.S. border irregularly to leave Canada immediately or face deportation.
• The letters target people who crossed after June 3, 2025, following Bill C-12, which removed a 14‑day exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and narrows eligibility for hearings before the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB).
• Lawyers warn many recipients may re-enter the U.S., face detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and potentially be deported to countries Canada currently limits removals to, such as Iran.
• The letters note claimants may still apply for a Pre-Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA), but advocates say notifications do not clearly explain remaining protections or legal options.

What happened

It has been reported that IRCC began sending letters within days of Bill C-12 receiving royal assent, instructing people who crossed the U.S.–Canada land border irregularly and claimed asylum after June 3, 2025 to leave Canada “as soon as possible” or risk a deportation order. Bill C-12 removed a previously available 14‑day exception to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) that had allowed some recent arrivals to have their refugee claims heard by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB). The STCA generally requires refugees who first seek protection in the U.S. to make claims there, but the 14‑day rule had created a limited pathway to an IRB hearing for those who stayed in Canada past that window.

Legal effects and processes

The IRB (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada) decides refugee protection claims; under the tightened rules many irregular crossers are now excluded from IRB hearings and can be fast‑tracked toward removal. The letters say people may be eligible for a Pre‑Removal Risk Assessment (PRRA) — an officer review to determine whether removal would expose someone to risks like persecution or torture — but they also warn that failure to leave could result in deportation orders. Immigration lawyers say front‑line officers now have reduced latitude to probe claims at the border and that the change narrows procedural access to hearings, increasing the speed and number of potential removals.

Human impact and immediate implications

Immigration lawyers told reporters there is “significant panic and confusion” among recipients, and it has been reported that some letters went to claimants from Iran, Yemen and Gaza — groups for whom Canada has at times imposed non‑removal or special safeguards. Lawyers fear many people will return to the U.S. and be detained by ICE, then deported to third countries, potentially undermining Canada’s international protection obligations. What this means for someone going through the immigration process now: if you received such a letter, seek legal advice immediately. There may still be a PRRA or other avenues (including ministerial relief in rare cases), but timelines and eligibility have narrowed; prompt access to a lawyer or legal aid can determine whether options remain and how to proceed.

Source: Original Article