January 31, 2021
REPORT ON PUSHBACKS AT THE US-CANADA BORDER
US-CANADA CROSS BORDER NETWORK SUBMISSION TO THE UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON HUMAN RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS
Introduction
The US-Canada Cross-Border Network is a network that includes 18 organizations across eight US states and four Canadian provinces. The US-Canada Cross-Border Network is dedicated to cross-border cooperation with the goal of sharing information about conditions at the US-Canada border, as well as improving migrants’ access to practical support and legal representation.
Members of the US-Canada Cross-Border Network witness first-hand the effects of measures to prevent people from crossing borders to seek asylum, including pushbacks. We recognize that the US is not safe for all refugees. The use of pushbacks without considering the human rights implications thereof or the risks people face if pushed back, including the risk of detention and refoulement, is inconsistent with Canada’s international legal obligations. We urge the Canadian government to open the US-Canada border to people fleeing persecution.