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U.S. Citizens' Refugee Claims in Canada Surpass 2024 Total in First Half of 2025

Such cases remain a tiny slice of Canada's docket, with success rare.

U.S. and Canadian flags fly together at the border at the Peace Arch Historical State Park, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Blaine, Wash.
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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.