Refugee claimants illegally crossing international border on the rise

Two men from Ghana walked several hours to cross the U.S. border near Emerson Christmas Eve. They were picked up by a trucker and taken to hospital due to frostbite. (Source: Maggie Yeboah)

Numbers obtained by CTV News show the number of refugee claimants illegally crossing the international border into Manitoba near Emerson is on the rise.

The Canada Border Services Agency found 954 claimants illegally crossed between April 1, 2013 and Dec. 8, 2016.

The number of claimants crossing illegally each year each is on the rise. In 2013, 68 claimants were found to have crossed illegally. In 2016, 410 claimants crossed illegally.

Note: these statistics are current as of December 8, 2016.

"The CBSA is responsible for designated ports of entry and the RCMP is responsible in-between ports of entry," said CBSA communications officer  Luke Reimer in an email to CTV News.

"Individuals who are intercepted by the RCMP for entering Canada illegally between ports of entry are brought to the Emerson port of entry where a CBSA officer will assess and determine their initial admissibility into Canada," he said.

The CBSA said the majority of the people entering illegally near Emerson and subsequently seeking to make a refugee claim are from Somalia.

On Christmas Eve, two men from Ghana in West Africa crossed the border illegally. They were located by a truck driver travelling on Highway 75 near Leteiller.

The driver called 911. The two men are now in hospital in Winnipeg being treated for frostbite.

Members from Manitoba's Ghanaian community said the men were seeking asylum in Canada because of their sexual orientation.