Trudeau says orderly immigration system is needed, after deaths of eight migrants

OTTAWA –

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is reiterating the importance of an orderly immigration system as police investigate the deaths of eight migrants, including two children, in the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne last week.

Last month, Canada negotiated a deal with the United States to turn away asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings like Roxham Road, closing a long-standing loophole in the Safe Third Country Agreement.

Migrant advocates have warned the new rules would push people to take even greater risks in their efforts to cross the border, like using smugglers and moving to even more remote locations.

A week later, the bodies of eight migrants were pulled from the St. Lawrence River after attempting to make it into the U.S. from Canada by boat.

The prime minister says Canada is welcoming more immigrants than ever, but wants to do it “appropriately,” so people aren’t putting themselves at risk.

He says Canadians can’t have confidence in a system where people are taking risks and hiring criminals to get them across the border.