Running away from us deportations, of this asylum seekers, three try to enter Canada

The Rainbow Bridge, which crosses the Niagara River between the United States and Canada, has been a symbol of peace for decades that connect two countries.

But for Araceli, Salvadorian migrant and her family, the bridge was a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

Along with their partner and two daughters, aged four and 14, the family first tried to cross the bridge on March 17th.

They had arrived with a suitcase and documents, which they were believed to be assured that they would soon be reunited with the Aracell brothers and sisters on the Canadian soil and escape the threat of the mass deportations of US President Donald Trump.

But the plan failed. Not only once, but twice.

While a third attempt proved successful, immigration experts and official statistics indicate an increase in asylum seekers at the border, running not only from their homes but also the immigration policy of President Trump.

Araceli and her family have been living illegally in the United States for more than a decade – only her smallest daughter, who was born in New Jersey, has an American passport.

In the United States, Araceli built a life for himself and tried to start an asylum application process, but he was unsuccessful.

“They accused me of money and told me that I would receive a job permission.

Araceli has 12 siblings, and like it, several left El Salvador because of the concerns of safety in the rural community where they grew up. Two of them managed to start from scratch in Canada.

After taking office of President Trump, against the backdrop of reports of mass raids and deportations, Araceli began to fear the safety of her and her family – especially after the administration began sending illegal migrants to the notorious Salvador prison.

But as Canada and the United States have signed the “Safe Third Party Agreement”, migrants, such as Araceli, who has not been refused refuge in one country, should not be granted asylum in the other. The agreement states that asylum seekers should apply for asylum in the first country where they land.

There are exceptions. One of them is if the asylum seeker arriving from the United States can prove that there is a close relative in Canada who meets certain requirements, they can enter the country and begin their request for refugees again.

Thus, Araceli and her family said goodbye to the life they had built in the United States to join her two brothers in Canada.

After crossing the arc bridge, they arrived at the border check to file their asylum request. She said she had all the original documents proving her relationship with her brother.

“They took everything, even our backpack and we were left with nothing.”

They spent all night in a waiting room, and occasionally answering questions until the agent found a problem with the app.

“They found a small detail: in my (birth) certificate, my father had only one surname, and my brother had two.”

And although the document has an explanation explaining that such inaccuracies are common in El Salvador, their agent refused to enter Canada.

The family returned, resigned and worried, having to stand up to his largest fear: to be divided and deported.

At the checkpoint, they were placed in a room without windows.

“We spent 14 days in this cell,” Araceli said, clarifying that they could go out to use the bathroom, but they were barely allowed outside.

Her brother turned to an organization that works with migrants who helped them hire lawyer Heather Nufeld.

While she was preparing their documentation and without any explanation, the family got an obvious second chance.

“Two agents arrived in the cell and said,” Congratulations, you go to Canada, “Aracell recalled.

But their hopes were short -lived.

“We were too generous when we welcome you here,” she recalls, who told the agent after the family applied for asylum in Canada a second time. “The United States will see what he is doing with you.”

A spokesman declined to comment on the Araceli case more special, citing the country’s confidentiality laws.

One thing is for sure – more families like Araceli are looking for exceptions to come to Canada.

As the number of people trying to move to the United States from Canada has decreased significantly, the number of asylum seekers has been refused entry into Canada from the United States has increased.

According to official data from the United States Government, 13,547 concerns were reported across the northern border as of March 2025 – 70% reduction compared to the number registered in the first quarter of 2024.

Conversely, the number of migrants seeking asylum in Canada and returning to the United States has increased this year, according to the Border Services Agency in Canada (CBS).

In April this year, 359 people, including adults and children, were found unacceptable asylum in Canada, compared to 180 people in April 2024.

D -Ja Neufeld believes that the increase in the number of people rejected is due to the “tougher” border policy from the Canadian country. In December 2024, Canada announced an investment of $ 1.3 billion ($ 950 million; £ 705 million) to “strengthen border security and strengthen the immigration system”.

This move is largely seen as an attempt to put Trump, which justifies widespread tariffs against Canada by blaming the country for illegal immigration in the United States.

In February, against the backdrop of Brewery Trade War, the Canadian government announced that it would further expand this program.

CBSA is also committed to increasing the number of removal from 16,000 to 20,000 (an increase of 25%) for fiscal years 2025-2027.

However, a CBSA spokesman told the BBC Mundo that they have not changed the way they do things: “We have not made changes to policies or processes.”

Refused entry to Canada for the second time, Aracelli and her family had to cross the border back to the United States, which scares them.

“It is not just about sending to the United States at this day and age. There is an immediate risk of detention and deportation,” said G -ja Nuveld.

The problem now was that this second trip to Canada was considered to be a review of the case, the only thing the family was entitled under the provisions of that country.

D -Ja Neufeld said Canadian border agents made a mistake.

“They did not behave as they had in the past with other clients, nor did they agree to an interview with a brother when they usually do it,” she said.

According to G -Ja Neufeld, the family did not return to Canada on their own free will, but because the US authorities told them, and therefore their second attempt should not have been considered an official review.

In order to obtain a third opportunity to cross the border and bring a request for asylum, Araceli will need a Canadian court to intervene.

When they returned to America, her partner was sent to an immigration and customs law enforcement center (ICE) while Araceli was made to wear an ankle monitor and she and her children went to a migrant shelter.

“They came to tell us that they were given three minutes to say goodbye, because my husband would be taken to a detention center,” Araceli recalls as her voice broke.

A week later, after complicated negotiations between the lawyers, the Canadian Federal Court agreed to allow the family to return to the border in order to be reassessed.

On May 5, seven weeks after the first attempt, Araceli again crossed the bridge. This time she had her lawyer with her.

After 12 hours, the border agent opened the doors and said “Welcome to Canada and luck with your new life,” she recalled.

“I felt great joy, it is indescribable,” Aracelli told the Canadian public operator CBC earlier in May, adding: “My daughters gave me so much power.”

But it was a greater celebration, as her partner stayed in the United States for two more weeks, falling into current court proceedings. The family hired a lawyer to take over his case.

“They were able to take it on bail and this is something that not all the detention centers allow. The whole family had to make great efforts; they had to sell things to be able to pay for it,” said G -Ja Nuveld.

According to her, the case of this family reflects the changes that have recently occurred at the northern border.

“There are many more Aracells, but we cannot know where they are or what situation they are upright. Most people have no ability to fight to respect their rights.”