One person has died, and 15 others have been arrested while attempting to cross into Canada from the United States in three separate incidents in recent weeks, Canadian police said Wednesday. The announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for stricter border enforcement.
At a televised news conference, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland stated that the individuals involved were of different nationalities and unprepared for the harsh Canadian winter. She confirmed that no fentanyl was found, and their identities were withheld due to privacy laws.
The news conference followed Trump’s decision on Monday to suspend steep tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau secured the suspension after discussions with Trump about enhancing border security through new technology, additional personnel, and joint efforts against organised crime, fentanyl smuggling, and money laundering. Economists had warned that imposing the tariffs could severely harm the economies of all three nations.
During the briefing, Moreland displayed thermal imagery and aerial footage, emphasising that the RCMP has the resources to secure the border.
The most recent of the three incidents involved a U.S. citizen who drove into Canada at the Coutts port of entry, which connects Montana and Alberta. When stopped for inspection, he attempted to flee but later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while being pursued by police, Moreland said.
A day earlier, four adults and five youths were apprehended near Coutts after U.S. border patrol agents alerted Canadian authorities. On January 14, six people were arrested after illegally crossing into Manitoba.
Moreland highlighted the dangers of attempting to enter Canada in extreme cold, noting that those detained in Manitoba were exposed to temperatures between -20 and -30 degrees Celsius (-4F to -22F) without proper winter clothing. She referenced a tragic case in January 2022, when an Indian family of four froze to death in a snowstorm near the Manitoba-U.S. border.
