Strengthening U.S. Immigration While Respecting Canada’s Sovereignty

For much of the 20th century, the world was embroiled in devastating conflicts, culminating in two world wars that claimed the lives of nearly 80 million people. These wars were largely the result of disputes over borders and national sovereignty—an inability to respect the territorial integrity of nations. The horrors of these wars led the world to establish institutions like the United Nations (UN) to uphold peace and security. Through agreements such as the Helsinki Accords and the Budapest Memorandum, nations committed themselves to respecting international borders and sovereignty, ensuring stability and cooperation in Europe and beyond. It was on this basis that America formulated U.S. immigration policy as well.

Yet, today, it appears that the hard-earned lessons of these conflicts have been forgotten. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on national sovereignty—including his high-tariff policies, economic pressure on allies, and his declarations about wanting to annex Canada, Greenland, Panama, and the Gaza Strip—represent a shift away from the principles that have maintained global stability for nearly eight decades.

The Importance of Borders, Sovereignty, and U.S. Immigration Reform

If we have learned anything from the past, it is that the United States must be careful in how it deals with borders and the sovereignty of its allies. This is particularly true regarding Canada. Trump, now in his second term, is implementing aggressive economic policies, including high tariffs on Canadian goods, thereby risking the stability of America’s strongest partner. Rather than threats and economic coercion aimed at Canada, it would be wiser for the U.S. should to pursue policies that foster deeper integration and cooperation, especially in the realm of immigration.

A major opportunity for strengthening North America lies in the creation of a U.S.-Canada free movement and trade zone, modelled after the Schengen Area in Europe. Such an agreement, essentially an expanded and renegotiated USMCA, would not only bolster economic growth and security cooperation but also create immense immigration benefits for both nations. Additionally, this proposal aligns with Trump’s campaign promises of immigration reform, particularly his commitment to securing American borders and prioritizing lawful migration.

U.S. Immigration Benefits of a U.S.-Canada Free Movement Zone

The implementation of a Schengen style free movement zone would revolutionize labour markets, economic prospects, and bilateral relations between the two nations. Some of the key immigration benefits would include:

1. Enhanced Border Security – By jointly enforcing the outer borders of both the U.S. and Canada, this agreement would help address illegal migration, the inflow of fentanyl and other narcotics, and other transnational threats. With a unified approach, the U.S. and Canada could better monitor who enters North America, reducing security vulnerabilities.
2. Increased Labour Mobility – By allowing Canadians and Americans to move freely across borders for work, the region would see reduced labour shortages and increased productivity. Skilled workers could relocate more easily, boosting industries like healthcare, technology, and manufacturing.
3. Economic Growth Through Talent Exchange – The free movement of professionals, students, and entrepreneurs would drive innovation and economic expansion, benefiting both economies. Canada’s highly educated workforce could supplement the U.S. job market while American businesses could expand more seamlessly into Canada.
4. Simplified Immigration Processing – Bureaucratic obstacles currently hinder the movement of workers and businesses between the two nations. A unified framework would streamline work visas, reducing the legal and logistical challenges that prevent skilled immigrants from contributing fully to North America’s prosperity.
5. Enhanced Refugee and Asylum Coordination – A cooperative immigration system would ensure that both nations can efficiently process and support refugees and asylum seekers in a humane and organized manner, reinforcing North America’s commitment to humanitarian leadership.

Strengthening America’s Southern Border

One of the greatest challenges America faces today is the security of its southern border. By implementing a joint U.S.-Canada border enforcement framework, the United States would be able to reallocate its resources more effectively. Rather than splitting efforts between two porous borders, America could focus exclusively on the southern border, strengthening border security where it is most needed while ensuring that legal migration remains efficient and beneficial to the economy.

This proposal would:

• Prioritize Legal Migration – By creating a structured, legal framework for movement between the U.S. and Canada, this plan would shift the focus away from chaotic, uncontrolled immigration toward a more organized system that benefits the economy and national security.
• Crack Down on Illegal Narcotics – Joint border enforcement would enable a more coordinated effort to stop the smuggling of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into North America.
• Bolster Economic Self-Sufficiency – Rather than relying on undocumented labour, this agreement would facilitate a legal, streamlined workforce that supports American businesses while upholding border security and the rule of law.

Treating Canada as America’s Closest Ally

To make this vision a reality, America must treat Canada with the dignity and respect it deserves. Canada is not just another trade partner—it is America’s closest ally, standing by the U.S. through wars, economic crises, and diplomatic challenges. Using economic blackmail, such as imposing punitive tariffs on Canadian goods, only serves to weaken this essential partnership. Turning Canada into an increasingly hostile neighbour, or actually annexing the country and thereby creating a likely democratic anti-Trump voting block inside an enlarged America holds little promise. Instead of coercion, the U.S. would be wiser to pursue policies that foster deeper trust and cooperation with Canada while respecting its sovereignty.

The Decline of Democracy and U.S. Immigration Reform

America’s democratic institutions are under unprecedented strain. Authoritarian rhetoric, the weakening of institutional safeguards, the erosion of voting rights, the normalization of political violence, and growing hostility toward international agreements all signal a dangerous departure from the values that made the U.S. a global leader. If this trajectory continues, America risks losing its ability to lead in global affairs and, more critically, its ability to implement policies that benefit its people, including those that would strengthen immigration enforcement and border security. But there is another way forward.

Reversing Course of U.S. Immigration for America’s Own Good

America stands at a crossroads. If it continues to drift towards authoritarianism, it will lose not just its moral standing but also its ability to enact forward-thinking immigration policies that would strengthen its economy and security. A North American free movement zone could be a historic achievement—but only if the U.S. first recommits itself to the democratic values that made such visionary projects possible in the first place.

The lessons of the past century are clear: border disputes and economic coercion lead to conflict, hostility, resentments and not cooperation. If America wants to maintain its leadership role in the world, and strengthen U.S. immigration policy, it must strengthen ties with its closest ally, Canada, by pursuing free movement, economic growth, and shared security with Canadians—not undermine their country.