Some of the 19 migrants of Haitian origin arrested in Quebec on Christmas Day have been deported to the United States after their asylum claims were reviewed by federal authorities.
The migrants were intercepted after allegedly crossing into Canada illegally from the United States during extreme cold conditions.
The crossing occurred in the Havelock area of Montérégie, about five km north of the New York State border.
RCMP say the group ranged in age from one to 60 and included a three-year-old child.
Integrated Border Police Team officers first located 15 people hiding in a wooded area on the evening of Dec. 25 after being alerted by U.S. Border Patrol. Officers continued searching until about 10:30 p.m. to find the remaining members of the group.
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Eight people were taken to hospital, including two young children who were transported as a precaution. Six migrants required treatment for frostbite.
Police said none of the injuries were considered life-threatening.
One man was also arrested after officers said they believed he was nearby to pick up several of the migrants by vehicle. His car was seized.
RCMP said all of the migrants applied for asylum and their cases were turned over to the CBSA.
The agency later determined that some of the claims were inadmissible under the Safe Third Country Agreement, which requires asylum seekers to request protection in the first safe country they enter.
Police warned that illegal border crossings are particularly dangerous during winter months, when migrants may be unprepared for severe cold.
–with files from The Canadian Press
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