AKWESASNE LEADERS MEET TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL BORDER IMPACTS

On February 4, 2025, the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne participated in a Zoom meeting with representatives from the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT), Mohawk Nation Council of Chiefs (MNCC), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP), and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to discuss concerns regarding tariffs and their potential impact on daily border crossings for Akwesasne residents.

 

As a collective, we have confirmed the following:

 

• There will be no changes to our ability to cross the border under the current Remission Order.
  
  CBSA confirmed that the current Remission Order for Akwesasne residents remains unchanged. This order allows residents to freely cross the border for shopping, personal use, business, and community service purposes. It applies to members residing in the City of Cornwall and the islands of Akwesasne.

Additionally, personal goods purchased in Canada and transported to the districts of Tsi Snaihne and Kana:takon will not be subject to potential tariffs under the Remission Order. 

• There may be potential impacts such as increased border wait times due to ongoing policy changes.

• MCA is committed to meeting regularly and proactively with SRMT, USCBP, and CBSA to ensure our inherent right to border mobility is not hindered by the actions of the Canadian and U.S. governments.
  
  Council has requested that both USCBP and CBSA provide a written summary of these discussions for further distribution to the community. Updates will be shared once available.

 

As border-related policies continue to evolve, maintaining strong communication between all parties remains essential.

 

For more information, please contact Mohawk Government at 613-575-2250.