Hundreds of asylum seekers arrive in Windsor via the U.S., Ottawa confirms

Hundreds of asylum seekers are staying inhotels in Windsor, Ont., this month after arriving via the U.S., theCanadiangovernment has confirmed.

The Windsor arrivals comeas hundreds of people are entering Canada through Quebec,some with tickets purchased by agencies in someRepublican states to send people northeast, and thenfrom New York Cityto a small town near the Quebec border.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) saidabout 3,300 people seeking asylum came toOntario. The agency said518claimants staying in Windsor hotels have"arrived between designated ports of entry on the Canada/U.S. land border."

Mobile health clinics fromthe Windsor Essex Community Health Centre and the Ontario Health Team are at one of the hotels this week to providemedical assistance. Staff at another hotel have set up a makeshift cafeteria.

The IRCC saidsome of the claimants in Windsor came from Quebec.

"To help reduce pressures faced by an increase in asylum claimantsentering the country, the government of Canada maytransfer anumber of asylum claimants from Quebec to Ontario," the IRCC said in an email.

"We are transferring individuals who have expressed interest in going to Ontario. Since June 30, 2022, the government of Canada has transferred618 asylum claimants to Windsor in Ontario."

In Quebec, the Roxham Road border crossing is in the spotlight.

Republican states have sent asylum seekers northeast, according to Radio-Canada. From there, New York City has been paying for bus tickets to Plattsburgh, N.Y. about 40 kilometres from the Quebec border to "help asylum seekers who wish to move to another location," Kate Smart, a New York City spokesperson, told Radio-Canada.

Quebec Immigration Minister Christine Frchette told reporters on Tuesday that 380 people entered Canada through Roxham Road over the past weekend and only eight remained in Quebec.

More on the Roxham Road border crossing:

In Windsor, a small lineup of refugees from various countries could be seen Tuesday outside the mobile health clinics at one of the hotels, holding various forms.

Among them was ShairAryan, whoarrived in North Americafrom Afghanistan a month ago, and said he was happy to be in Canada.

"Canada [is] one of my favourite countries," he said. "They provide very good service and facilities for refugees,and it's one of the most free countries.

"I would just like to live in a free country."

Another refugee from Afghanistantold Radio-Canadathat he first entered Iranbefore receiving a humanitarian visa to enter Brazil. He arrived in the U.S., then entered Canada through Roxham Road. He'snow in a hotel in Windsor.

Aryan said he came to Windsor on a bus from Washington, D.C., with other refugees on board. He said many of his fellow travellers were from countries in Latin America.

Border communities in Ontario such as Niagara Falls and Cornwallare also seeing an increase in asylum seekers.

Refugees have been arriving in Fort Erie, Ont., as well. Mayor Wayne Redekop confirmedboth town-affiliated facilities that house refugeesCasa El Norte and Matthew House Fort Eriewere full. He also saidmany have arrivedthrough Buffalo, N.Y., which isn't unusual.

"There's been a lot of co-ordination over the years between the individuals who are assisting refugees in Canada in Fort Erie and in the United States in Buffalo," Redekop said. "Those routes go back to at least 1980 and because it's a well- known route for refugees into Canada, there's a large number of them that come here."

IRCC told CBC News that2,841 asylum claimants have beenbeing housed in "hotel operations" in Niagara Falls.

CBC News also requested interviews with Conservative MP Chris Lewis, Conservative MP and immigration critic Tony Kmiec and NDP MP and immigration critic Jenny Kwan. None of them were available for an interview.