Immigrants have been crossing from the US into Canada in record numbers, with many being stuck on the streets of northern US cities after already entering the US with Canada as their final goal. The US-Canada border, which is the world's longest and protected international border, has strict regulations under the Safe Third Country agreement, which states that immigrants seeking refugee status must first make their claim in the first safe country they arrive in, which would be the US. Unofficial crossing points like Roxham Road used to represent a loophole in this regulation, but they have been closed. Canada has faced criticism for closing the US-Canada border for asylum seekers, violating its Charter of Rights. Meanwhile, the bottleneck situation in US cities is worsening day by day, creating a huge challenge for helpers. The crisis can only be fixed by changing the broken immigration system.
Sure, here are the key facts extracted from the provided text:
1. Immigrants have been crossing from the U.S into Canada in record numbers in the past year.
2. Thousands of immigrants entering the U.S with Canada as their final goal are stuck in Northern U.S cities like Buffalo, New York, and Portland, Maine.
3. The U.S-Canada border is the world's longest protected international border, with around 9,000 kilometers between the two countries.
4. The closure of Roxham Road, an unofficial crossing point, came after a tenfold increase in immigrants using the U.S as a transit country to get into Canada.
5. The Safe Third Country agreement regulates official crossing points between Canada and the U.S, requiring immigrants seeking refugee status to make their claim in the first safe country they arrive in, which is often the U.S.
6. Some members of the Canadian Parliament oppose the executive decision to close unofficial border crossings.
7. Canada's Supreme Court ruled to uphold the Safe Third Country agreement, which makes it illegal for refugees to cross into Canada.
8. In the U.S, conservative governors provided free buses to transport immigrants to Northern states, creating a bottleneck situation.
9. Portland, Maine, faces challenges in providing shelter and support for stranded immigrants.
10. A new emergency shelter with 180 beds is proposed in Portland to address the immediate problem.
11. Privacy concerns and opposition to accommodating immigrants in certain states are expressed by some residents.
12. There is a concern that Asylum systems around the world are under siege, and changes may be needed to prevent a loss of the right to Asylum.
Please note that these facts are based on the information provided in the text and do not include opinions.