American government officials inside Donald Trump’s White House are actively discussing putting troops near the Canadian borders in light of U.S. border security concerns around the coronavirus pandemic, sources tell Global News.Â
Few people cross from Canada into the United States at an unofficial point each year but the goal of the policy would be to help border guards detect irregular crossers, the sources said.Â
While the White House is pushing for this, no decision has been made. It’s not clear if Canadian officials have been officially briefed but informal conversations are ongoing.Â
Global News has asked the White House to comment on this story but has not received a response.
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Any militarization on or near the Canadian border would be a stark departure from traditional relations between the two countries as the Canadian-US border has traditionally been recognized as one of the longest non-militarized borders in the world.Â
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The proposal has raised diplomatic concerns on both sides of the border.
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While the move would be temporary — lasting only as long as the coronavirus pandemic — some in Washington are concerned about Canadian reaction and the precedent set by sending troops to their northern and southern borders,
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