“They couldn’t let us come back”: migrants turned back at the border while trying to enter Canada

With no prospect of work, three Haitian migrants attempted to enter Canada from the United States on Monday before being turned back at the border.

“I arrived in the United States in 2021 and I can’t get a work permit,” says a man of Haitian origin, explaining why he wanted to migrate north.

Met by The Journal outside a bus station in Plattsburgh, New York, he did not want to give his name for security reasons.

“I was a victim of political persecution in my country because I was always an activist for the well-being of the people,” explains the man whose wife and children remained behind.

He traveled with two other Haitians, Katia and Claude, who cannot find work either.

All three say they already have refugee status in the United States.

“We left the country to escape the violence. There, the reality is different. It’s very difficult,” explains Claude, who says he has brothers and sisters in Canada.

On Monday, they took a taxi to the border.

“It cost a lot,” laments the refugee, who wanted to remain anonymous, especially since he would have already been impoverished by an American claiming to be an immigration “advisor”.

“I paid him to help me, but he didn’t really know the process,” he laments.

Well treated and fed

At the customs post, the trio claims to have been well treated and fed. “But looking at our files, they couldn’t let us return,” laments Claude.

They assure that Trump’s recent re-election has nothing to do with their decision to leave Uncle Sam’s country.

Tuesday evening, all three didn’t know where they were going to sleep.