For Mary Ann and Mike Jeffries, Florida has been their warm-weather sanctuary for the previous 15 years, a spot the place they may escape harsh Canadian winters and reside an energetic, vibrant life. However current political adjustments have made their seasonal dwelling really feel much less welcoming.
The couple, who reside in Moncton, New Brunswick, has determined to completely go away their dwelling away from dwelling in Florida—a choice they by no means thought they’d make.
The Jeffries’ are simply one of many many Canadian “snowbirds” who flock to the U.S. yearly to benefit from the delicate Florida local weather. However because the U.S. authorities tightens laws on international nationals, together with Canadians, their scenario has change into more and more tough.
A brand new coverage from the usgovernment would require international nationals visiting for greater than 30 days to register with the federal government, as a part of a broader crackdown on unlawful immigrants. This contains Canadians who enter the U.S. by land—a gaggle that has been missed prior to now, as they usually don’t obtain the identical documentation as these flying in.
It’s a part of the “Defending the American Individuals Towards Invasion” government order that U.S. President Donald Trump signed on January twentieth.
The Jeffries had been shocked after they realized of the upcoming adjustments in an electronic mail from a company that represents snowbirds.

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“We had been shocked after we bought the e-mail from the Canadian Snowbird Affiliation,” stated Mary Ann, referring to the current communication alert. “Yearly we’ve come via, we give them our passports, they find out about our actions, and we additionally full a kind,” she added.
Though the couple understands the necessity to doc individuals coming into a rustic, they’re upset with the language and tonality within the government order.
It reads partly “Many of those aliens unlawfully inside america current vital threats to nationwide safety and public security, committing vile and heinous acts towards harmless Individuals. (…) Many have abused the generosity of the American individuals, and their presence in america has price taxpayers billions of {dollars} on the Federal, State, and native ranges.”
“The difficulty is the bundle that it was despatched in and the language that was getting used,” stated Mike. “The language that’s being touted round politically right here is considerably horrifying,” he added.
The couple expressed considerations over the best way Canadians and different minorities have been spoken in regards to the previous few months and are fearful such labels might allow extra battle.
“That type of language results in a mindset that claims it’s okay to behave a sure method towards individuals. And we definitely have seen it with seen minorities and we’re beginning to see it now once more with Canadians as properly,” Mike stated.
The brand new coverage has made the couple really feel like undesirable friends within the nation they’ve referred to as a second dwelling for thus lengthy and already made the choice to promote their Florida dwelling final 12 months.
Mike stated he even witnessed somebody yelling “Go dwelling, Canadian!” to a buddy of theirs that was attending a gaggle perform.
With the political local weather changing into more and more hostile, the rhetoric surrounding immigrants and international nationals solely heightened their considerations. Now, with the brand new registration requirement, they’ve determined it’s time to cease returning as snowbirds altogether.
“We’ll miss it right here,” Mike stated. “We’ve made unbelievable buddies, and it’s a really wholesome life-style. However the politics are simply an excessive amount of. All of that has created a really tense type of place to reside in.”
With over one million Canadians spending winters within the U.S. every year, the brand new laws might drive a reevaluation of their journey plans. Whereas some Canadians might select to adjust to the brand new necessities, others, just like the Jeffries, really feel the political local weather is simply too poisonous to bear.
Because the couple prepares to return to Canada for the spring, they are saying they will’t think about going for 3 or 4 months anymore.
For now, the Jeffries will return to New Brunswick, hoping for a calmer political local weather within the close to future.
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