US northern border sees Romanian illegal immigrant influx as expert predicts what could be driving them

According to 1 migration expert, relaxed Canadian visa requirements could beryllium causing an uptick successful Romanian amerciable immigrants crossing the borderline to the United States.

"First of all, the crushed they're coming from Canada is that Canada lifted visa requirements for Romanians successful 2017, I believe," Mark Krikorian, enforcement manager of the Center for Immigration Studies, told Fox News Digital. "So it's a batch simpler to get to Canada than it is to present if you're a Romanian. And truthful past you sneak implicit the border. And wherefore don't you enactment successful Canada alternatively of travel here? I don't know."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection information from the Houlton Sector successful Maine shows Romanians made up little than 1% of borderline crossings successful fiscal 2023. In fiscal 2024, that fig accrued to astir 12%. Out of 344 amerciable crossings successful the sector, 40 radical were identified arsenic Romanian nationals.

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Border Patrol stakes retired a agrarian country adjacent the Canadian borderline successful Canaan, Vt., connected Jan. 20, 2024. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

The Houlton Sector is located successful northeast Maine, bordering New Brunswick, Canada. 

Krikorian suggested that Romanians mightiness beryllium trying to nexus up with household members successful ample cities. I-95 runs straight done Houlton, which whitethorn marque it simpler for migrants to question southbound and link with relatives.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents successful the Houlton Sector apprehension a idiosyncratic who illegally crossed the U.S.-Canada borderline into Maine this month. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection-Houlton Sector)

He explained that the bulk of Romanians who permission their state fly to Italy and, to a lesser extent, Germany and different European Union countries. Still, much enterprising migrants mightiness proceed to the United States.

"Italy is 1 of the large destinations for galore Romanians," Krikorian said. "But determination are going to beryllium radical who privation to travel here. I mean, the United States is amended disconnected than Italy, too. There's much opportunities here."

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A Border Patrol cause keeps an oculus connected a roadworthy adjacent the U.S.-Canada borderline successful Mooers Fork, N.Y., connected Jan. 23, 2025. (REUTERS/Carlos Osorio)

But with changing visa requirements for Romanians wishing to participate the U.S., Krikorian expects amerciable migration numbers among Romanians to diminution opening astatine the extremity of this month. 

Romanian nationals volition go eligible for the Visa Waiver Program astatine the extremity of March. The programme allows citizens from participating countries to question to the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa, whether for tourism oregon business. 

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A illustration from the Center for Immigration Studies shows the foreign-born colonisation successful the U.S. implicit the past fewer statesmanlike administrations. (Center for Immigration Studies)

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Krikorian said that arsenic a result, the fig of amerciable Romanian immigrants volition drop, but the fig of ineligible Romanian entrants volition rise, immoderate of whom volition overstay their visas.

"So amerciable migration of Romanians volition conscionable switch, volition alteration from borderline jumpers to visa over-stayers," helium said.