Overview
- Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Board recorded 245 refugee claims by U.S. citizens from January through June 2025.
- The total exceeds the 204 American referrals in all of 2024 and sets the fastest annual pace since 2019.
- The filings represent a small portion of more than 55,000 total claims through June, with nearly one-fifth from India.
- A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Reuters that these U.S. claims would free up room for people facing actual fear and persecution.
- Immigration lawyers report rising interest from transgender Americans citing Trump-era policies, though claimants must prove no part of the United States offers safety.