Refugee shelters on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border are teeming with refugees trying to beat a deadline that goes into effect on Wednesday. The Safe Third Country Agreement between the U.S. and Canada mandates that refugees seeking asylum do so in whichever country they reach first. Officials who approved the agreement say the intent is to make it simpler to process asylum claims and prevent what’s known as “shopping for asylum,” but advocates for refugees say the new policy is a recipe for disaster and will only increase illegal border crossings. Mitch Wertlieb talks with Patrick Giantonio, executive director of Vermont Refugee Assistance, about the implications of the policy.
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