A leading Canadian immigration expert is urging caution — and in some cases outright avoidance — when it comes to travel to the United States, as new data reveal a sharp rise in the number of Canadians detained by U.S. immigration authorities. Government figures released through a U.S. federal court case show that more than 200 Canadians have spent time in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since January 2025, up from 137 detentions recorded in 2024. The data spans a period beginning in September 2023 and extending to mid-October 2025.
In total, ICE records indicate 434 detention stays involving Canadians during that timeframe. Only a small fraction involved serious criminal convictions: two cases included aggravated felony charges and six involved other criminal records. The overwhelming majority — 366 detainees — had no aggravated felony history. Queen’s University law professor Sharry Aiken said the surge reflects a major shift in U.S. enforcement practices rather than an increase in dangerous behaviour.
“These are not people with histories of violent crime,” Aiken said. “We’re seeing very minor infractions that are now enough to trigger detention.” According to the data, 94 Canadians were detained for lacking valid visas, while 66 were held for overstaying non-immigrant visas. Aiken said such situations were once resolved through voluntary departure, not detention. “That’s what has fundamentally changed,” she said. “People are now being detained as part of routine immigration enforcement.” Aiken directly linked the shift to U.S. President Donald Trump’s second-term immigration agenda, which includes mass deportations, reduced refugee admissions and efforts to limit birthright citizenship. “This was not happening at this scale under the previous administration,” she said. “It’s directly tied to executive orders issued when Trump returned to office.”
The data also show that at least six Canadian children — born between 2009 and 2024 — were detained during the period. One child was held for 51 days, exceeding the 20-day detention limit set by a long-standing U.S. court agreement governing child migrants. Several of the children were held at the South Texas Family Residential Center, a facility that has faced legal complaints over inadequate access to water, medical care and legal assistance. “What we’re seeing is children being detained in deeply concerning conditions,” Aiken said, noting limited access to food, health care and legal counsel. Immigration lawyer Warren Creates said children are rarely targeted directly, but are often caught up in enforcement actions against parents or guardians.
“If the adults lack proper status, the entire family can be subject to expedited removal,” he said. Other Canadians were detained at facilities such as the Krome North Service Processing Center in Florida, which has drawn criticism from human rights groups for overcrowding and extended solitary confinement. Wayne Petrozzi, professor emeritus at Toronto Metropolitan University, warned that Canadians often underestimate the risks of crossing the U.S. border. “My advice actually would be don’t go,” he said. “Anybody could potentially get caught up.”
ICE enforcement has intensified following public statements from White House officials indicating a target of at least 3,000 immigration arrests per day. Petrozzi said that pressure to meet quotas may be driving increasingly aggressive enforcement. Global Affairs Canada confirmed it is aware of multiple cases involving Canadians — including children — in U.S. immigration detention. The department said it offers consular assistance when cases are reported, including facilitating contact with family, providing legal information and raising concerns with local authorities when mistreatment is alleged. However, Creates said Ottawa’s ability to intervene is limited, particularly when individuals lack valid U.S. status or have violated entry conditions. The issue has drawn heightened scrutiny following the death of a Canadian man in ICE custody earlier this year. In June, 49-year-old Johnny Noviello died after being found unresponsive at a federal detention centre in Miami.
