By Canadian Press

Advocates urge Canada to suspend refugee pact with U.S. over fears of persecution

Feb 21, 2025 | 12:17 PM

OTTAWA — Several civil society groups are calling on Ottawa to suspend a refugee pact with the United States over concerns for the safety of transgender and gender-diverse people.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association, the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers and Rainbow Railroad are urging the federal government to immediately pause the Safe Third Country Agreement.

The agreement, reached in 2004, requires refugees to seek protection in the first country they enter — either Canada or the U.S. — unless they qualify for an exemption.

The civil society groups say U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent move to suspend the U.S. refugee admissions program leaves some LGBTQ+ people stranded in precarious circumstances.

The groups want Canada to issue a moratorium on removals to the U.S. for those who would face an increased risk of detention there, or could be returned to the countries they have fled.

They also call on Canada to create an exemption under the Canada-U.S. agreement for transgender and gender-diverse claimants, as well as those fleeing gender-based violence, until the agreement is suspended.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press

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The Canadian Civil Liberties Association logo, in Toronto, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

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