At a small, unofficial border crossing at Roxham Road separating Quebec and New York state in mid-March, a group of migrants encounters an RCMP officer who delivers a final warning. “It’s illegal to cross the border here,” the agent says, staying on the Canadian side of the crossing. “If you do so, you are going to be arrested for illegal entry into Canada.” The migrants — including adults and children, all of them holding suitcases and carrying backpacks — stay frozen on the American side.
They are either considering the ramifications of being arrested or do not understand English. They have just completed the final leg of an arduous journey with hopes of making it into Canada, with most making the last stint by taxi from Plattsburgh, N.Y., about half an hour south of the Canada-U.S.
border. Now, steps from potentially realizing their dream, they appear unsure what to do next. “It’s your choice,” the officer tells the migrants.
After a few moments, the migrants cross, single-file, and line up in front of the officer on the Canadian side, who announces they are under arrest.