The number of asylum seekers entering Canada illegally at Emerson continues to grow, with larger groups of people coming across at one time. Between Saturday, March 18th and Tuesday, March 21st over thirty people were detained for processing, and well over two hundred have crossed in a similar manner since the start of January.

Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) has brought in a mobile trailer to help expand the office space available for processing.

"Just to give us some more room when larger groups are brought in for processing," explains spokesperson Jeryn Peters. "So as you know, we are seeing some larger groups seeking asylum and our office space was just not big enough to accommodate them comfortably while they wait for the process to be completed. Right now the trailer is working well, people are able to spread out and relax. Of course, we have other clients coming into the office for other Customs processing for un- related reasons."

CBSA has reported that the trailer comes at a cost of $960 a month plus GST and that those funds are coming from existing resources right now.

Peters shared the CBSA definition of processing.

"The RCMP is responsible for enforcement between the ports of entry, they are the migrants first point of contact when they come in. The RCMP responds, picks them up, does their processing and then the RCMP bring them to a CBSA port of entry where we take over and do our processing."

This next step includes security checks, identifying the individuals and making sure the security screening is being done properly. Officers will then do an interview to find out whether or not the asylum seeker is eligible to make a claim for refugee protection.

Peters noted that the migrants are under 24/7 supervision by an officer - even while waiting in the trailer - and are often given food and necessities while they wait.