US embassy cable - 03MONTREAL204

UNCLAS MONTREAL 000204 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND PRM 
 
E.0. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: SMIG, PREF, KPAO, PBTS, KISL, PGOV, PREL, CVIS, CA, Border Patrol, CIC 
SUBJECT: BORDER UPDATE - CANADIAN IMMIGRATION DIGS OUT OLD 
REGULATION FROM THE MOTHBALLS 
 
REF: SECSTATE MONTREAL 0004 
 
  1.   SUMMARY: A LONG-STANDING CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION 
CANADA (CIC) PRACTICE HAS CHANGED.  ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO PREVIOUSLY 
WOULD HAVE BEEN ADMITTED IMMEDIATELY INTO CANADA ARE NOW TURNED 
OVER TO USINS UNTIL A CIC APPOINTMENT IS SCHEDULED.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.   STARTING IN LATE 2002, LARGE NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS -- 
FORTY A DAY NON-STOP FOR A MONTH AT THE LACOLLE/CHAMPLAIN (N.Y.) 
BORDER ALONE-- APPLIED FOR REFUGEE STATUS.  CIC WAS FORCED TO 
DOUBLE, SOMETIMES TRIPLE STAFF TO HANDLE THE LOAD OF INTERVIEWS. 
HOWEVER, ONE OF POST'S CIC CONTACTS AT LACOLLE REPORTED THAT CIC 
HEADQUARTERS NOTIFIED BORDER AGENTS ON JANUARY 30, 2003, TO 
DIRECT THEM TO APPLY THE OLD BUT RARELY UTILIZED "DIRECT BACK" 
REGULATION TO BETTER CONTROL THE FLOW OF REFUGEE CLAIMS.  NOW, 
INSTEAD OF INTERVIEWING REFUGEE SEEKERS ON THE SPOT, CIC 
OFFICIALS GIVE REFUGEE SEEKERS AN APPOINTMENT FOR A LATER 
INTERVIEW AND, IN THE INTERIM, RETURN REFUGEE SEEKERS TO USINS. 
 
3.   THE RECENT PROCEDURAL CHANGE REPORTEDLY HAS SLIGHTLY REDUCED 
THE NUMBER OF CLAIMANTS WALKING UP TO THE BORDER, BUT A GOOD 
NUMBER STILL APPEAR DAILY.  FOR EXAMPLE, ON FEB 12, AT 07:45AM, 
EIGHTEEN PAKISTANI CITIZENS ASKED TO FILE FOR REFUGEE STATUS AT 
LACOLLE.  WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE GROUP WAS TURNED BACK TO 
USINS AND LATER DIRECTED TO SEEK ASSISTANCE AT THE PLATTSBURGH 
SALVATION ARMY (SA). 
ALLEN