In an interview, Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the representative in Canada of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said it was too soon to know whether the cross-border flow of people is an uptick or signals a longer trend. For the United Nations, the term “migrant” designates someone who has freely chosen to leave their country of origin—unlike refugees who are driven from their homes. The original decree barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from traveling to the United States for 90 days, as well as all refugees for 120 days. Refugees from Syria were banned indefinitely. Beuze suggested that the cost of clandestinely entering Canada could climb as high as Can$5,000 (US$3,800).

Source: Manila Times February 26, 2017 02:48 UTC