‘Canada is handing people over to ICE’: refugees rejected at border face US detention
Summary
Markens Appolon, a Haitian refugee, fled violence and sought asylum in Canada but was rejected and handed over to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where he has been detained for over four months. Legal experts and lawyers say Canada is turning refugees over to US authorities despite concerns that the US detention conditions and deportation risks make it unsafe for asylum seekers.Key Facts
- Markens Appolon fled Haiti in 2023 due to gang violence and unrest.
- He tried to claim asylum in Canada, aiming to join family in Montreal.
- Canadian border agents rejected Appolon and handed him to US ICE officials.
- The US detains asylum seekers for long periods and sometimes deports them to dangerous countries.
- Canada and the US have a Safe Third Country Agreement requiring refugees to seek asylum in the first safe country they enter.
- Some lawyers argue that the US should not count as a safe country under this agreement.
- New Canadian laws in March added more rules that make it harder for refugees to claim asylum.
- Appolon was turned away because his Canadian family member was temporarily out of the country, although Canadian law does not clearly require family to be physically present.
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