Minnesota-Canada crossing points creates a hassle due to hour changes

Aug. 24, 2019 por Isolda Barrera

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Locals and officials are not very optimistic about having the normal hours return any time soon of the border crossings in the city of Roseau, Minnesota. Those who have built their life around the old hours find it hard to adjust.

The changes have come due to the sudden transfers and changes of Border Patrol agents from the northern border and south, to handle the incoming traffic of immigrants looking for asylum in the United States. Border Patrol representatives have mentioned that 300 agents from the 791 that they have where moved to the Mexico border, to handle the influx of immigrants arriving. This left most of the northern border with Canada with less agents to handle the crossing points throughout.

City officials do find that returning regular operating hours to the crossing is essential and something that needs to be solved soon.

The Roseau station, used to operate from 8 A.M. to midnight, but new schedule has them operating from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. And the nearby Lancaster crossing would normally be open until 10 P.M., but new changes will end operating hours at 8 P.M. during the summer and at 6 P.M. during the winter. Operating hours will stay the same on Canada’s side, and operating hours will be until midnight.

Residents of the city find this difficult since time changes have caused problems to those who cross on a daily basis, for either work or personal issues. People with jobs need to take earlier communes and from their plan their return based on when their shifts ends and from there check which crossing is available for them to return.

In some cases people need to drive almost an hour from Roseau all the way to Warroad, Minnesota, which operates 24 hours.

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