B.C. Muslim women's shelter becomes asylum haven for U.S. border crossers

A transitional home for Muslim women fleeing domestic violence in B.C. has becomea refugee haven as dozens of women and children who have walked across the U.S. border since November's presidential election seek refuge in Canada.

"They come here because they have no option the last option they have is to come here,"saidYasmineYousef, a social worker atNisaHomesin Surrey.

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The transitional homeopenedjust over two years ago.But nowthe home usedfor women seeking shelter from domestic abusehas become a sanctuary for thosewho fear that the U.S. under President Donald Trumpis not safe for them.

All the refugee claimants are women and children. Not long after the November 2016 U.S. election, staff at the Surrey facility saidthey helped their first Muslim asylum seeker from the U.S.

'Terrified' to stay in U.S.

Many of the asylum seekersare referred toNisaHomes by refugee agencies or police services in the Lower Mainland.

A lot of them are coming from different countries," saidYousef. "They have access to come to the U.S. whether they have a visa to the U.S. or some sort of status. But when they get there, obviously with the hype around the president, they were terrified of staying there."

Across the country, thenumber of asylum seekers crossing into Canada has increased following a crackdown by Trump on illegal immigrants, migrants and refugees.

This year alone, 201 asylum seekers were intercepted in British Columbia by the RCMP.In March, across the country, officers arrested 887 people enteringCanada from outside an official port of entry, up from the two previous months, bringing the total to 1,860 so far this year.

In Surrey, Yousef said the home has received about 25 to 30 women and children who are refugeeclaimants.

"That has been very eye-opening for us becausewe had no idea whata refugee claimant was [before this],"Yousefsaid.

Afghan crossed border

An Afghan citizen who walked over the U.S. border into B.C. in December,spent three months atNisaHomes before she made a successfulrefugee claim inCanada.

CBC News is concealing her identity because she fled an abusive relationship and fears forher safety.

The Afghan woman had a one-year visa to visit her husband who was living in the U.S. But she feared for her safety with an abusive husband, andafter Trump's election, she did not feel safe in the U.S.

"The first week Icame here it was scary and disappointing because I wasshocked at being detained, but now I'mhappy that Inot onlysaved my life from being killed but Ifeel like Icame to one of the best places on Earth," she said in an interview at the home.

According to the Immigrant Services Society of B.C., which provides assistance to new arrivals to Canada, 420 people applied for refugee status in B.C. in the first three months of the year.

Asylum influx

The society's executive director, Chris Friesen, said ithas turned to shelters like the Surrey facility to helphouse those asylum seekers.

"When they arrive across the border they are not eligible forup to twomonths before they can access hardship allowance through the government,so they're on their own," said Friesen.

"On the housing and service side there is a growing demand for services and a lack of services in place."

According to the society, 80per cent of the recentasylum claims are from people who crossed the U.S. border by foot.

Yousefsaid theinflux of refugee claimants from the U.S. over the last six monthshas stretched the resources of theprivately funded transitional home.

"These women are coming,they have no idea what Canada is like. It's a huge culture shock for them," said Yousef.

"They don't speak the language, they don't know where to go. They literally will grasp at any support they can find."

Thehome which has a wait listof more than three families at any given timeneedsvolunteers who can speakArabic andFarsi.