(The Center Square) — A leading member of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet has said that Canada will bolster its border security after meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc made the comments to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation after President-elect Donald Trump threatened broad 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico if they do not help stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.
“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” Trump said in a statement last week threatening the 25% tariff..
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump continued. “We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”
Trudeau flew to Palm Beach to meet with Trump over the weekend to try to dissuade Trump on the tariff issue.
While the southern U.S. border is the main source of the flow of millions of migrants, the northern border is not without issues and has worsened in recent years.
As The Center Square has previously reported, hundreds of migrants connected to the terror watch list entered the U.S. via the northern border in recent years. In fact, the number of terror-connected migrants at the northern border has now hit record levels.
Trump’s pick for border czar, Tom Homan, has warned of the threat of the Canadian border in recent weeks, saying it will be something he addresses once Trump takes office.
“We’ll have more agents here but we need to end catch and release,” Homan told 7News in Watertown, New York. “If you’re gonna cross the St. Lawrence River or the lake or on foot, they need to know, you can come, but you’re going to be arrested. You’re not going to be released and we’re going to remove you. There’s not going to be like the Biden Administration where we process ya and release ya and you don’t show up in court.
“You’re not walking away. We’re gonna lock you up. So more agents, we’ll end catch and release and President Trump will need to work with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and say look, you need to enforce the immigration laws you have because this is a gateway to the U.S.”