Illegal immigrants filing refugee claims in Canada now face a July 2029 ruling, Immigration and Refugee Board chair Manon Brassard told the Commons immigration committee, with one MP blaming a Trudeau tweet for the backlog.

“The shock to the system at the Board was this large, large increase that got us to historical levels,” testified Brassard. “Such large numbers were not expected.” She reported finalizing 78,000 asylum seekers, exceeding their capacity and the previous decade's average of 30,000.

Bloc Québécois MP Mario Simard reported an overwhelming influx of asylum claims at his office after assisting an El Salvadoran family in 2023, which garnered media attention.

Asylum seekers must prove their identity and well-founded fear of persecution.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller says illegal immigrants entering Canada from the US "are not welcome."

Ironically, PM Trudeau infamously said "#WelcomeToCanada" in response to Trump's travel ban on several unstable countries like Syria and Yemen almost exactly 8 years ago. pic.twitter.com/oqXFwMmMAO

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 15, 2025

MP Simard attributed the influx to Justin Trudeau's 2017 “welcome to Canada" tweet. He stated, “Mr. Trudeau's statements had an effect,” explaining that while the prime minister's message was welcoming, it created a “snowball effect” as people received information via social media.

Trudeau tweeted at the time: “To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength. Welcome to Canada.” That counters 2024 remarks by then-immigration minister Marc Miller.

Refugee claims have surged fivefold since 2022, from 54,000 to 290,000, creating a 44-month backlog with the current capacity of 80,000 finalized cases annually. “In 2022-23 there were 154,000 claims in one year. In 2024-25, the year we just finished, there were 176,000 claims.”

Go Ad Free

In the first half of the year, border agents processed 10,655 asylum seekers at land crossings and 6,275 at airports. RCMP intercepted 701 illegal border crossers during the same period.

Illegal crossings have surged — and our cameras caught some of it happening in real time! pic.twitter.com/j1ZJQwG4N1

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) July 28, 2025

Security screenings for border crossers and refugee claimants typically take six to eight months. When questioned by Conservative MP Costas Menegakis, the Refugee Board's Brassard stated that the Canada Border Services Agency is actively working on this timeline.

MP Menegakis criticized the current system, stating that asylum seekers receive benefits while awaiting security screenings for six to eight months, raising safety concerns. He added that they “jump the queue,” bypassing other immigration streams as an easy entry method.

Taxpayers spend $195 daily per illegal immigrant for room and board, a $29 decrease from last year, Blacklock’s reports. The Immigration Department didn't explain the reduction in hotel, meal, and medical costs. This figure excludes snacks and water provided by border agents, which average $28.32 per person.

Legal aid costs for illegal immigrants rose 378% since 2017, from $11.5 million to $55 million annually. Concurrently, immigration cases in Federal Court surged from 5,572 in 2017 to 24,784. 

No federal agency has calculated all costs of illegal immigration, including local expenses for education, food, and shelter.

Backlog @IRB_Canada sees illegal immigrants remain in Canada nearly 4 yrs awaiting a ruling on refugee status, chair tells MPs, calls it "a shock." https://t.co/1VMAA4fpXg #cdnpoli @CitImmCanada pic.twitter.com/9X79mrfOhX

— Blacklock's Reporter (@mindingottawa) November 7, 2025

As part of the most recent Immigration Levels Plan, Canada aims to add 148,000 permanent residents, including 115,000 refugees, by 2027 via one-off initiatives costing $120 million, beyond official targets.

Alongside Budget 2025, Canada announced plans to welcome 56,200 refugees, protected persons, and other migrants in 2026, followed by 54,300 over the next two years. The budget itself lacked specific details on target countries.

Canada plans to admit 1.14 million new permanent residents and projects a total increase of 2.2 million newcomers (temporary and permanent combined) over the next three years.