Feds: 10.4K Foreigners Caught at Northern Border Before Canada’s Coronavirus Travel Ban

This Aug. 2, 2017 photo shows the U.S. border crossing post at the Canadian border between
WILSON RING/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Thousands of foreign nationals have been caught attempting to cross into the United States from Canada before Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would close the nation’s borders to foreign travelers.

On Monday, Trudeau said he would be shutting down Canada’s borders to non-citizens with exemptions for permanent Canadian residents, diplomats, aircrews, and American citizens. Before the announcement, Trudeau had not issued a single travel ban — not even for China, Iran, South Korea, or Italy.

Federal data obtained by Breitbart News shows that nearly 10,400 foreign nationals were deemed inadmissible or apprehended at the U.S.-Canada border in January and February. In January, alone, northern border agents encountered nearly 3,600 foreign nationals.

In February, northern border agents apprehended 259 foreign nationals and declared 6,540 inadmissible. These inadmissible numbers and apprehensions do not include the foreign nationals who have arrived at northern border ports of entry and have successfully entered the U.S.

President Trump said his administration is considering closing the northern border as the number of coronavirus cases in Canada climbs to 304. Thus far, there has been one death from the coronavirus in Canada.

“We think about it … if we don’t have to do it, that would be very good,” Trump said when asked if he would close the northern border. “… We’re talking about different things.”

As Breitbart News reported, the U.S.-Mexico border has been inundated with foreign nationals from coronavirus-affected countries. Since October, nearly 151,000 foreign nationals from 72 countries with confirmed coronavirus cases have flocked to the southern border.

Within the last few months, more than 340 Chinese nationals have attempted to cross illegally into the U.S.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.

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