Six migrants found crossing border on foot in freezing temperatures: Manitoba RCMP

The RCMP logo is seen outside the force's 'E' division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on March 16, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

EMERSON -- Mounties in Manitoba say six people from multiple countries were caught last week trying to illegally cross into Canada from the United States.

Police say the group was spotted from the air crossing the border on foot near Emerson on Jan. 14.

Officers say some were not dressed for the freezing temperatures, and an ambulance was called to ensure their safety.

The six were from Jordan, Sudan, Chad and Mauritania.

They were put under arrest and transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency.

The arrests come amid heightened concerns over illegal border crossings.

Mounties bolstered their presence in the border area with Black Hawk helicopters this week as Donald Trump formally took over as U.S. president.

Trump has called on Canada to stem cross-border traffic in illegal migrants and drugs. He has threatened to impose tariffs to back his demands.

Aerial surveillance is part of Canada’s $1.3-billion upgrade to border security and monitoring in response to Trump.

The illegal traffic has been a long-standing concern at the Manitoba border.

In 2017, two Ghanaian border crossers lost their fingers because of frostbite. In 2022, a family of four from India, including two children, was found frozen to death after attempting to cross into the United States from Canada during a January snowstorm.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2025.