Justin Trudeau
Canada will continue to accept asylum seekers crossing illegally from the U.S. but will ensure security measures are taken to keep Canadians safe, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Feb. 21, 2017. Here, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke during the traditional banquet "Matthiae-Mahlzeit" (St. Matthew's Day Banquet) at the town hall in Hamburg, Germany, Feb. 17, 2017. REUTERS/Morris Mac Matzen

Canada will continue to accept refugees crossing the borders illegally from the United States despite opposition from conservative lawmakers, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday. However, authorities in Canada will also ensure that proper security measures are in place to safeguard Canadians.

"One of the reasons why Canada remains an open country is Canadians trust our immigration system and the integrity of our borders and the help we provide people who are looking for safety. We will continue to strike that balance between a rigorous system and accepting people who need help," Trudeau said.

In recent weeks, there had been a significant increase in the number of refugees crossing into Canada because of its isolated and unguarded border. Immigrants feared President Donald Trump would crack down on illegal refugees and therefore resorted to crossing the border and taking shelter in Canada. Trump has said he could deport roughly 8 million people and has called for a ban on all Syrian refugees.

To keep up with the demand, police in Canada have reportedly increased their presence at the border and border authorities have created a temporary refugee center to manage asylum seekers. Asylum seekers face questioning and fingerprinting. Anyone deemed a threat can be detained.

The number of people who made refugee claims at the Quebec- U.S. border was more than double from what it was during 2015 to 2016. In January 2016, 137 people had made the claims whereas 452 people did the same last month.

Conservative lawmakers who oppose Trudeau's decision wanted his center-left Liberal government to restrict the inflow of refugees from the United States because of various security fears and the lack of proper resources to sustain so many people in the country. A recent poll earlier this month showed out of 1,508 Canadians, a quarter of them would support a Trump-style ban on accepting Syrian refugees into the country.

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