A member of New York City Council was in Montreal Tuesday hoping to get a clearer picture of what asylum seekers are facing on Canadian soil.
Hundreds of asylum seekers continue to cross into Quebec from the U.S.; most of them are Haitian.
Council member Dr. Mathieu Eugene met with Haitian community groups as he visited the temporary shelters where asylum seekers are being housed around the city.
“Every time I'm on the street in New York City, my Haitian constituents, they stop me to share with me their intention to come to Canada, because they have family members who tell them, ‘Listen it’s going to get really bad in New York City,’” explained Eugene.
After Haiti's devastating earthquake in 2010, many survivors sought a new life in the United States.
Eugene was instrumental in creating temporary protected status for Haitians, though it’s now a measure the Trump administration plans to abolish in January.
“They have children. They are part of the society,” he said. “Just imagine sending those people to Haiti. We are going to break up families. This is going to be a big trauma, not only for the parents, also for the children,” he said, adding that when he returns to New York, he'll share what he's learned in Montreal.
He and Haitian community groups in Montreal want to make sure Haitians in the U.S. are properly informed before making the decision to come to Canada.
“We have the responsibility to give the right information to our brothers and sisters who are abroad and who think coming to Canada might be an easy thing,” said Montreal city councillor Frantz Benjamin.
Eugene hopes to convince the Trump administration to reverse its decision, adding that until the living situation improves in Haiti, the U.S. should let those with temporary protected status remain in the country.
He wants the government to extend the TPS by 18 months – adding that he’ll take the fight to Washington if necessary.
