International media spotlight on Emerson as more asylum seekers cross border on foot

Emerson-Franklin Reeve Greg Janzen speaks to media at Welcome Place, a refugee support organization in Winnipeg, after the Manitoba government announced emergency support for refugee claimants crossing the Manitoba border from the United States, Thursday, February 23, 2017.

The flow of asylum seekers crossing the Canada-U.S. border is putting the small town of Emerson, Man. into the international media spotlight.

According to 2016 Census data from Statistics Canada, the community located just over 100 kilometers south of Winnipeg has a population of 678 people.

Greg Janzen, reeve of the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin, said over the past two-and-a- half weeks, he’s done about 200 interviews on the situation involving the increasing number of people illegally crossing the border near Emerson, and averaging about 10-12 interviews day.

“The media has helped pass the story along,” he said Saturday in a phone call with CTV News.

He said Fox national news is coming to Manitoba in the coming days and recently spoke to a media crew from Tokyo, Japan.

Janzen said he’s also done interviews with NBC, CNN, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, The Washington Post, and a Boston radio station.

Two Manitoba Liberal MPs, Robert-Falcon Ouellette and MaryAnn Mihychuk, are also travelling to the area to learn about the situation.

READ MORE: Asylum seekers who illegally crossed Manitoba border thankful for donations

More asylum seekers crossing since Friday

Saturday morning, Janzen said another six people crossed the border near Emerson overnight Friday into Saturday.

Rita Chahal, executive director of the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council, runs the province’s largest refugee settlement agency.

Welcome Place is part of the MIIC, and is often an asylum seeker’s first stop to fill out refugee claimant papers and get help accessing services.

Another nine people crossed the border near Emerson on Friday, said Chahal. She said the Salvation Army is running out of space to house the asylum seekers. She also said the 14 housing spaces announced Thursday by the Manitoba government will not be available immediately, as everyone hoped.

More than 115 people have illegally crossed the border into Manitoba near Emerson since Jan. 1, 2017.

Canada's Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale plans to discuss the border crossings with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in coming weeks.

READ MORE: Manitoba premier seeks co-ordination with feds to deal with refugee surge

Reeve satisfied with security

Janzen said Saturday he’s satisfied with the additional RCMP resources dedicated the Emerson border area earlier this month and staff at Canada Border Services Agency.

“I am very pleased with the job they are doing,” he said. “Communication…could not have asked for a better.”

READ MORE: Two Tory MPs call on Ottawa to stop people walking across Canada-U.S. border