Any idea what the consensus is on the idea that the US response to covid is so disastrous that Canada might be willing to take in US citizens who don't want to die unnecessarily from this pandemic just because we have a president who only cares about himself and suggests things like "inject bleach" and "this will just magically go away on its own" instead of listening to public health experts and coordinating an effective, evidence-based response? I feel like that's a legitimate fear.
Seeking Asylum/Refugee Status from US Due to Covid?
- Thread starter Human Errer
- Start date
There's nothing to debate. The odds of a US citizen successfully getting asylum in Canada are essentially zero. See section 97(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
You would have to prove you are being persecuted because of your race, religion, political opinion, gender, etc. or are otherwise at risk for torture or cruel treatment. COVID isn't on that list.
You would have to prove there is nowhere safe for you to relocate to within the US, that the US government and legal system cannot protect you or enforce your rights, and that the problems you face are specific to you, not just general issues everyone in the US is dealing with, such as poor medical treatment.
Also, as I responded to your other thread, you're probably a citizen anyways.
When thousands of people are dying in other countries because their leadership is insane, their citizens leave in droves and other countries take them in because they recognize the danger people face if they were to stay in their home countries. I fail to see how any other country can say “no, you Americans are safe right where you are.”
I don’t feel safe here at all. My government refuses to do what is necessary to protect its citizens during a natural disaster. People flee from their countries and obtain refugee status all over the world because of natural disasters and their home country’s inability to respond to them effectively. How is this any different? Just because it’s the US?
So maybe “asylum” isn’t appropriate, but “refugee status,” which is usually based on natural disasters/civil war, etc, might be, no?
What happens when 70 million or so Trump supporters who think Biden somehow “stole” the election start shooting? Will Canada take Americans then?
The US is a developed country. The US government can handle natural disasters and the Civil War ended 155 years ago. You're not a refugee. Get back to me when the UN begins housing displaced Americans in tent camps.
2k deaths per day and climbing says otherwise. How many people have died -total - in Canada so far? There are many “3rd world” countries doing much better than the US in handling covid. Anyone with preexisting conditions (like me) is terrified to leave their house, especially with all the disinformation and conspiracy theories coming from the most prominent, powerful figures in our governemnt.
Interesting. This applies to both “asylum” and “refugee status” seekers?
I’m not a lawyer, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express one time, and legal stuff piques my interest in general. Thanks.
Asylum seekers and refugees describe the same people at different part of the journeys. You have no argument especially because Canada has a relatively high rate of covid as well.
The US has almost 5 times Canada’s rate of infection. The US is by far the worst country in the world, blowing every other country out of the water on every metric. Canada isn’t even in the top 25.
The US has had a very bad covid response but is not the worse because most are getting access to high level care not like in Russia, India, Mexico, Iran and Brazil which are also on the list of having high rates of covid. Canada is facing lockdowns, cancelling surgeries, reaching ICU and hospital capacity in some areas. Based on your arguments you'd think that people have no access to care in the US and Canada is a safe haven with no covid doing everything right. Access to medical care is still not a reason for asylum and you have access to care. You need to take extra precautions and act as though everyone else could have covid. Many people are doing this. There are lots of delivery options allowing you to quarantine at home and even charities/good Samaritans who will pick things up for you and leave things at your door so you can quarantine.
Thank you and well said.
I think this topic has gotten into a debate about COVID in the US compared to countries.
Human Errer - If you want to file a refugee claim in Canada you can do so. However, as stated above your reason is insufficient and you would receive a negative decision and be sent right back to the US.