BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) – Monchai Chuaychoo had been living with her fiancé Amber Michiels at her home in Cambridge, Ontario since early March. Chuaychoo returned to Buffalo in July to take care of his non-public affairs, but when he tried to return to Canada to be with his new fiancé, border officials refused to enter.
“Then I came back here, fighting with my eyes in my car, ” said Chuaychoo.
The U.S.-Canada border has been closed to non-essential for more than five months. Canada allows foreigners who are members of the immediate circle of relatives of Canadian citizens to enter the country, however, the definition of an immediate circle of relatives excludes engaged couples and young adults of Canadian citizens.
In reaction to this exclusion, a base organization called Advocacy for Family Reunification at the Canadian Border has created a strong clientele among others on both sides of the border who are frustrated and regretting separating from their loved ones.
“There are young adults who come to see Mom before she dies, there’s a breast-feeding American mom who can’t come to Canada with the baby she had with a Canadian man,” Dr. David Edward-Ooi said. Poon, founder of Advocacy for Family Grouping on the Canadian border.
Since its inception in May, the organization has worked with an epidemiologist to expand a four-point public protection responsibility plan and has collected more than 5,000 signatures for a petition to replace the definition of an immediate circle of family members that the COVID-19 crisis should allow. more family reunification circle. The petition was filed with the Canadian House of Commons on Wednesday.
“We’re asking for open borders, we’re just asking to be together,” Dr. Poon said.
The Canada Border Services Agency recognizes the plight of families, but says the measures are aimed at reducing and managing the number of COVID-19 cases due abroad.
“My branch has worked diligently on cutting-edge tactics to bring families together,” said Marco Mendicino, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, when asked on stage in the House of Commons.
In the United States, Rep. Brian Higgins also tried to convince the Department of Homeland Security to paint with his Canadian counterparts to replace the restrictions.
“Last week, [Representative Higgins] spoke to a DHS official about exemptions and caregivers. DHS sought to deepen this discussion with Canadians,” said Theresa Kennedy, spokesman for Representative Higgins.
Meanwhile, Chuaychoo and Michiels are ready to wait for Canada to make changes. They have booked flights to Las Vegas, Nevada, where they will marry so that Chuaychoo can legally enter Canada as Michiels’ married spouse.
“We take every and every precaution we can to make sure our marriage is safe, just the two of us, and that we stick to the quarantine procedure,” Chuaychoo said.
Current border restrictions are in place until August 21, however, interested parties expect the restrictions to remain beyond the existing deadline given the increase in COVID-19 cases in the United States.