Canada raises asylum seekers influx with Minnesota governor

Canada's public safety minister raised concerns on Monday with Minnesota's state governor about an unauthorized influx of thousands of asylum seekers into Canada this year.

Nearly 3,500 people have walked into Canada from the United States from January through May, according to government data, crossing the border through fields, forests and ditches to avoid official ports of entry where they would be turned back under a bilateral agreement. Once on Canadian soil, asylum seekers, many of whom are of Somali and Ghanaian origin, are each entitled to a hearing.

While Canadians have assisted many stranded or freezing border-crossers, some have also worried about safety, and the fairness of asylum seekers entering Canada without permission.

"The problem has not gone away and we need to fully figure out why this is happening and we need a full effort on both sides to make sure that we're doing everything we possibly can do for the integrity of the border," Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said in an interview, after meeting with Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-canada-refugees-idUSKBN19A2XR