Canadian university teachers warned against travelling to the United States

Vehicles approach the United States border crossing as seen from Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que., on April 10, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

HALIFAX — The association that represents academic staff at Canadian universities is warning its members against non-essential travel to the United States.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers released updated travel advice on Tuesday due to the “political landscape” created by President Donald Trump’s administration and reports of some Canadians encountering difficulties crossing the border.

The association says academics who are from countries that have tense diplomatic relations with the United States, or who have themselves expressed negative views about the Trump administration, should be particularly cautious about U.S. travel.

Its warning is particularly targeted to academics who identify as transgender or “whose research could be seen as being at odds with the position of the current U.S. administration.”

In addition, the association says academics should carefully consider what information they have, or need to have, on their electronic devices when crossing the border, and take actions to protect sensitive information.

Reports of foreigners being sent to detention or processing centres for more than seven days, including Canadian Jasmine Mooney, a pair of German tourists, and a backpacker from Wales, have been making headlines since Trump took office in January.

The Canadian government recently updated its U.S. travel advisory, warning residents they may face scrutiny from border guards and the possibility of detention if denied entry.

Crossings from Canada into the United States dropped by about 32 per cent, or by 864,000 travellers, in March compared to the same month a year ago, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In a recent interview, Mike Niezgoda, a spokesman for the customs and border agency in New York state, told The Canadian Press last week that there is no cause for alarm. “It’s business as usual here,” he said. “There’s no difference .... As long as you’ve got your documents, you’re fine.”

However, David Robinson, executive director of the university teachers association, said in an interview Tuesday that the warning is the first time his group has advised against non-essential U.S. travel in the 11 years he’s worked with them.

“It’s clear there’s been heightened scrutiny of people entering the United States, and ΓǪ a heightened kind of political screening of people entering the country,” said Robinson, whose association represents 70,000 teachers, librarians, researchers, general staff and other academic professionals at 122 universities and colleges.

Robinson said the group made the decision after taking legal advice in recent weeks. He said lawyers told them that U.S. border searches can compromise confidential information obtained by academics during their research.

He said the association will keep the warning in place until it sees “the end of political screening, and there is more respect for confidential information on electronic devices.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 15, 2025.

The Canadian Press