Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Timothy P. Fadgen

Abstract

AbstractAs the world becomes more globalized, migration is emerging as a major policy issue to contemporary governments. Thus, states have adopted immigration policies that extend beyond their jurisdiction, making the review of state actions a challenge. One such policy is the Canada–U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA). This policy has generated a range of social issues. However, no study has been conducted to understand the impact of the STCA on African asylum seekers in Canada. This qualitative study was based on the social construction and policy design theory. The central research question sought to understand the impact of the STCA on the right to life, liberty, and security of asylum seekers in Canada, while the subquestions were aimed at comprehending the meanings African asylum seekers in Canada ascribe to the asylum system and how they describe the impact of the Canada–U.S. STCA on their asylum-seeking experiences. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 22 research participants who met the inclusion criteria. Data were obtained through semistructured interviews and analyzed based on the seven steps used in analyzing responsive interviews. The findings showed that the STCA did not impact the rights to life, liberty, and security of asylum seekers. The results established the need for specific provisions of the STCA to be revised and that the asylum system and process are well organized but lengthy. The findings also revealed that the STCA impacted the asylum-seeking experiences of the participants and influenced their asylum-seeking decisions. The results could provide the basis for designing alternative policies to address the STCA’s loopholes by governments, nonstate actors, and the public to support planned positive social change related to people in need of protection.

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