OTTAWA, Canada — The U.S. and Canada have struck an agreement that allows each country to turn back asylum-seekers who cross the northern border without authorization, according to internal documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times and a source familiar with the negotiations.
The deal is the latest expansion of President Joe Biden’s efforts to discourage asylum-seekers from entering the U.S. without authorization. The new policy, which applies to people without U.S. or Canadian citizenship who are caught within 14 days of crossing the border between the two countries, is expected to take effect soon.
The U.S. hopes the pact will “reduce incentives” to cross the border irregularly, according to the source, who was granted anonymity in order to discuss a still-confidential agreement. The negotiations, which have been taking place for several years, were motivated by recent increases in the number of unauthorized crossings of the border in both directions, the source said.
