Facing the Third Country Agreement: The Precarious Life of Asylum Seekers Entering Canada through the US

  • Leslie Vesely

Abstract

The 2002 Third Country Agreement between Canada and US requires asylum seekers to apply for refuge in the first country they land in. Through this agreement, Canada positions the US as a safe country for asylum seekers. However, with the election of Donald Trump and subsequent anti-immigration policies, this agreement is being questioned. This paper explores the politics of human rights by looking at the precarity of asylum seekers’ lives and unpacks the transformation of these identities. I argue the Third Country Agreement increases asylum seekers’ precarity, creating a unique group of refugees working towards social recognition and institutional support.

Published
2020-09-26
Section
Part 1: Abject Analyses