For Mary Anne and Mike Jeffries, Florida has been their warm weather sanctuary for the past 15 years, a place where they can escape Canada’s harsh winters and lively lives. However, recent political changes have made seasonal homes less welcome.
The couple, who lives in Moncton, NB, decided to leave their Florida home forever.
Jeffries is just one of many Canadian “snowbirds” that gather in the United States every year to enjoy the mild Florida climate. But as the US government tightens regulations on foreigners, including Canadians, their situation is becoming increasingly difficult.
A new policy from the US government will require foreigners to visit more than 30 days to register with the government as part of a wider crackdown on illegal immigration. This includes Canadians entering the US on their land. This is a group that has been overlooked in the past because they are not normally receiving the same documents as those flying.
This is part of the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump on January 20th to “protect Americans from invasion.”
Jeffries was shocked to learn of future changes to emails from organizations representing Snowbirds.
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“We were shocked when we received an email from the Canadian Snowbirds Association,” said Mary Anne, referring to the recent communication alert. “We come every year, we give them our passports, they know about our moves, and we also complete the form,” she added.
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The couple understand the need to document people who come to the country, but are disappointed with the language and tonality of the executive order.
“Many of these aliens in the United States present serious threats to national security and public safety, committing sleazy and violent behavior against innocent Americans. (…) Many have abused the generosity of the American people, and their presence in the United States costs billions of dollars of taxpayers at federal, state and local levels.”
“The problem is the package it was sent and the language it was used,” Mike said. “The language that’s being promoted politically here is somewhat scary,” he added.
The couple has expressed concern about the way Canadians and other minorities have been talked about over the past few months and are worried that such labels will allow for more conflict.
“That kind of language leads to the idea that it’s okay to behave in a certain way to people, and we’ve certainly seen it in a visible minority, and we’re also starting to see it again with Canadians,” Mike said.
With the new policy, the couple has decided to sell their Florida home last year, making them feel like an unnecessary guest in the country they have been calling their second home for a long time.
Mike said he even saw people screaming, “Go home, Canada!” To their friends who were participating in the group function.
As the political situation became increasingly hostile, the rhetoric surrounding immigrants raised their concerns. Now, with the new registration requirements, it’s time to stop returning as snowbirds entirely.
“I’ll miss that here,” Mike said. “We made incredible friends. It’s a very healthy lifestyle. But there’s too much politics. All of that created a very tense kind of place to live.”
With over 1 million Canadians spending winters in the US each year, new regulations could force a reassessment of travel plans. While some Canadians may choose to adhere to the new requirements, others, like Jeffries, find the political situation unbearably toxic.
They say they can’t imagine going for another three or four months as the couple prepares to return to Canada for spring.
For now, Jeffries returns to New Brunswick and hopes for a mild political situation in the near future.
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