Remove US Safe Third Country designation
Petitioners ask the Minister of Immigration to urgently review whether the United States still meets Safe Third Country requirements, consult human-rights monitors, and, if necessary, remove the US designation for refugee claimants.
Why we would sign this petition
- It would trigger an urgent review of US compliance and could prevent Canada returning refugee claimants where they may face unsafe treatment, addressing specific risks the petition highlights.
- Consulting established human-rights monitors could produce evidence to guide policy changes ensuring refugee claimants' access to fair and judicial processes.
- Removing the US designation, if warranted, would allow more asylum seekers to access Canada's refugee system at the border rather than being turned back under the Agreement.
Why we wouldn’t sign this petition
- Removing the designation could increase irregular crossings and strain Canada's processing capacity and border management.
- The petition may duplicate the minister's existing monitoring obligations noted in the petition, making a new review redundant.
- Targeted policy adjustments or case-by-case exemptions might address concerns while avoiding broader border and operational impacts of rescinding the designation.
The summary and both sets of reasons are AI-generated from the petition and given equal weight. Claims are the petitioners’ own; consult the official record for the full text.
Official petition
Petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is a signatory to the Safe Third Country Agreement as part of the U.S.- Canada Safe Border Plan; Canada has designated the United States of America a 'Safe Third Country' for those seeking refugee status; The United States has undertaken recent actions against undocumented migrants and other vulnerable classes, in particular members of transgender communities; and There is an ongoing requirement for the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to monitor the US’ compliance with the terms of the Agreement. We, the undersigned, Residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to 1. Urgently conduct a review of whether the United States continues to meet the requirements for a designation as a Safe Third Country; 2. Consult with human rights monitoring groups such as Amnesty International on the treatment of refugee claimants and vulnerable persons within the US, and how Canada's immigration and border policies must be adjusted to ensure persons seeking safety are given access to fair and judicial processes; and 3. If need be, remove the designation of the United States of America as a 'Safe Third Country' for refugee claimants.
Government response
No government response is available yet.