TORONTO — President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants is a top priority for Canada, the deputy prime minister said Friday, as the country plans to accommodate a possible influx north.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week re-established a special cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations to address his government’s concerns about another Trump presidency.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, chair of the revived commission, said what Trump’s deportation plan would mean for Canada is a top priority for the commission.
“I want Canadians to know that this is one of our two central focuses,” Freeland said after the group met for the first time since Trump’s first term.
Freeland said controlling the Canadian border is fundamental. “Canadians are right to be concerned about it,” she said.
Freeland said Canada has a plan, but she did not share details.
She said she spoke to the leaders of Canada’s provinces about the issue this week and that it is intentional that the country’s immigration and public safety ministers are members of the committee. The deputy prime minister said the committee will meet often, including early next week.
Canada saw an increase in irregular border crossings between 2016 and 2023, which the Royal Canadian Mounted Police partly attributes to Trump’s first presidency.
National police have said they have run through multiple scenarios in case there is a change in irregular migration – which is on a downward trend this year
Trump has talked about creating “the largest mass deportation program in history.” And Trump has called for the use of the National Guard and strengthening domestic law enforcement in these efforts.
Trudeau and US President Joe Biden announced this last year a plan to close a loophole in the immigration deal allowing thousands of asylum-seeking immigrants to move between the two countries along a branch road connecting New York State with the Canadian province of Quebec.
The policy says asylum seekers without U.S. or Canadian citizenship will be caught somewhere within 14 days of crossing the 5,061 kilometer long border is returned.