Montreal CEGEP cancels all trips to the U.S. amid ‘concern and confusion’ down south

Ahuntsic College in Montreal. (Scott Prouse/CTV News)

A Montreal CEGEP says it has cancelled all trips to the United States for the remainder of the school year amid unpredictability with the new administration in Washington.

Ahuntsic College said the decision also applies to extracurricular activities, such as sports, amid the “concern and confusion” south of the border.

There have been several media reports about foreigners being detained and searched when entering the U.S. in recent weeks, including a Canadian entrepreneur and a scientist from France.

Last week, the Canadian government updated its travel advisory for the U.S., warning about possible detention if Canadians are denied entry to the country and that they can expect to be heavily questioned and may have their electronic devices searched.

“As an educational institution, Collège Ahuntsic must exercise due diligence and take all necessary precautions, according to the particularities of the countries and regions visited, in order to minimize risks to the health and safety of students and staff members,” the school said in a statement last Friday.

The CEGEP said it is working on finding alternatives to the U.S.

At the end of March, the Université de Montréal issued guidelines on visiting the U.S. for academic purposes amid growing anxiety from members of the community.