India has been raising the issue of the threat to its security from Canada.
The Justin Trudeau administration is not cracking down on Khalistani terrorists who have made the country a safe haven, and targeting people in India.
Canada hasn't deported terrorists wanted by India. India has accused Trudeau of mollycoddling Khalistanis as part of his vote-bank politics.
The US has also seen a surge in irregular crossings from India, which has now become the leading source country for illegal border crossings from Canada, according to CBC News. In 2023, US Customs and Border Protection arrested or expelled a record 96,917 individuals from India attempting to enter the US illegally.
Not just India, US also worried about terror risks from Canada
It's not just India, even the US is concerned about security risks related to Canada. Trump's border czar, Tom Homan, pointed to the ill-guarded Canadian border and said terrorists could use it as a "gateway" into the US. He said the Justin Trudeau administration had not taken border security seriously.
In September 2023, a Pakistani citizen planning to cross into the US to carry out an attack on Jewish people in New York City was arrested in Qubec, according to Global News of Canada.
Homan spoke about the "extreme national security vulnerabilities" along the Canada-US border. He said that Canada hadn't taken border security seriously for over a decade now.
Donald Trump's swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for January 20, 2025, and he is busy putting together a team that is reflecting his policy priorities.
Border security and illegal immigration are on top of Trump's agenda.
Homan, who previously served as the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), highlighted the risk posed by "special interest aliens" -- individuals from countries with ties to terrorism -- using Canada as a passage into the US, according to CBC News. The fear is that terrorists could slip into the US.
Homan said Canada needed to understand that it couldn't be a "gateway for terrorists" to the US, according to Global News.
He emphasised that tightening northern border security would be a priority for the incoming administration, with a particular focus on rising human smuggling activity and irregular crossings from Canada. He warned of "tough conversations" with Ottawa as part of addressing these vulnerabilities.
Homan also noted that Canada’s border security is weaker, with fewer officers, making it an attractive route for illegal immigrants, including those from countries that are a hub of terrorism.
In an interview with 7News in Watertown, New York -- a community near the Canadian border -- Homan stressed his commitment to national security and indicated that addressing these vulnerabilities would be part of Trump’s broader agenda.
The rise in human smuggling along the border is linked to organised crime groups in Canada, charging between $1,500 and $6,000 per person for illegal entry into the US.
These illegal crossings often take place in remote areas, including rivers, farmland, and forests. Tragically, some of these journeys end in death, as seen in the case of an Indian family who froze to death while attempting to cross US Canada border.
India on Thursday said it took note of reports of Khalistani terrorist Arsh Dalla's arrest in Canada over a shootout and would follow up on a request to extradite him to India to face the law.
This came after after it was reported a few days back that Arsh Dalla has been arrested in Canada. This happened after his suspected involvement in an armed confrontation on October 27 or 28 in Milton town in Canada's Ontario province.
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