Quebec asks Ottawa to close Roxham Road crossing between Canada, U.S.

The Quebec government is demanding that the federal government close the Roxham Road crossing between Canada and the U.S. to combat what it is calling a massive influx of illegal immigrants.

According to Premier François Legault, at least 100 people cross the makeshift crossing point every day.

Quebec Immigration Minister Jean Boulet adds that this high number of arrivals far exceeds Quebec's receiving capacity.

Legault argues focus should go instead to addressing the 14-month backlog of newcomers.

Minister of Immigration Jean Boulet says Quebec will ask the Canadian government to close the Roxham Road crossing. He says there has been a record number of people crossing and it’s “overwhelmed Quebec’s capacity” to handle. ⁦@CTVMontreal⁩ pic.twitter.com/4zXC5Ele4h

— Kelly Greig (@KellyGreig) May 11, 2022

-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on May 11, 2022.

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  In this Nov. 4, 2019, photo, a woman is led into a building by officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Quebec, after illegally crossing the border from the United States at Roxham Road in Champlain, N.Y. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring)