Arrests of Canadians in U.S. jump 60 per cent amid Trump immigration push

OTTAWA · The number of Canadian citizens arrested or detained in the United States rose by 60 per cent in the last fiscal year, according to a new report from Global Affairs Canada. The department recorded 577 such cases between April 2025 and March 2026, a jump from 361 the year before. During that same period, visits by Canadians to the U.S. fell by 25 per cent, dropping from 26.8 million to 20 million. The annual report on consular cases, published Thursday, does not specify the reasons for the increase in arrests.

U.S. President Donald Trump increased immigration enforcement actions after taking office again in January 2025. Since that time, Canadians have reported receiving more intense questioning from U.S. border officials, and there have been instances of Canadians being held for minor violations. Immigration lawyer Len Saunders, who practises in Blaine, Wash., said many long-term residents are being affected. "A lot of Canadians are caught up in this dragnet," Saunders said. Saunders explained that his clients are often Canadians who have lived in the U.S. for many years, some with American spouses or children. He said some were unaware of problems with their immigration status until visited by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Others were flagged after brief trips to Canada, such as a day visit to Vancouver or Windsor, Ont., and questioned when returning to the U.S. He believes enforcement has shifted from workplace raids to using databases, including voter rolls, to find people who may be deportable.

Common reasons for deportation proceedings include old criminal convictions for assault, drug offences or impaired driving, as well as overstaying temporary visas for decades. "In the past, a lot of these people immigration would just turn a blind eye (to), unless it really became something on their radar," Saunders said. "But now you hear of ICE going out and scooping up these people, and some of them have lived in this country as permanent residents for decades." He also noted that many permanent residents mistakenly vote in U.S. elections, particularly in states with self-declaration rules like Washington.

READ MORE: Canada and UAE sign trade and defence deals to diversify economic ties

READ MORE: Appeals court hears arguments on Harvard funding restored after Trump-era cuts

"A lot of Canadians are naive and don’t realize that as a permanent resident, they actually can’t vote in the United States," Saunders said. He reported being contacted by half a dozen Canadians in the last two weeks alone who face deportation for past voting. Previously, such individuals could seek citizenship by acknowledging the violation and expressing remorse, but Saunders now warns clients to ensure their records are clean before applying. "I don’t want to put someone in the position that they get deported over applying for U.S. citizenship," he said. Globally, the report tracked 1,981 arrests or detentions of Canadians in the last fiscal year, a 20 per cent increase from the prior year. Arrests of Canadians in Thailand tripled, though the report offered no explanation. Consular cases involving children and family matters, such as custody disputes or forced marriage, rose by 25 per cent over three years to 804 cases, most frequently involving the U.S., India and Pakistan.

The federal government handled 7,436 consular cases overall, a seven per cent increase from two years prior. These ranged from car accidents to child abductions. The department assisted in repatriating 28,000 people from Cuba during an energy crisis and responded to cartel violence in Puerto Vallarta and evacuations related to the U.S. war on Iran. The number of Canadians voluntarily registering with Global Affairs when travelling abroad increased by 27 per cent to 574,338.

With files from The Canadian Press, Global News and The Globe and Mail