Canada's supreme court upholds U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement

June 16 (UPI) -- The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday upheld the Safe Third Country Agreement the country shares with the United States, declaring it is constitutional.

The nine-judge panel voted unanimously in favor of cementing the legislation, which stipulates refugee claimants must request protection in the first safe country they arrive in, unless they qualify for an exception.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had not commented publicly on the decision as of 12:30 p.m. EDT, which amounts to a victory for his government.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser has also yet to issue a comment.

Oral arguments in the case took place in October.

The ruling means Canadian officials can continue to turn back those seeking to claim refugee status in the country that are arriving across the shared U.S. land border.

Anyone crossing a legal entry point is deemed not eligible for refugee protection in Canada as they would have already reached the United States.

The STCA was first signed in 2002 and came into effect in 2004.

It was modified in March and "helps both governments better manage access to the refugee system in each country for people crossing the Canada-U.S. land border."

The United States is the only country deemed a "safe third country" by the agreement.

Rules do not apply to American citizens or residents of the United States who are not citizens of any country.

Opponents to the ruling argued refugee claimants returned to the United States are often detained, mistreated or deported.

There are four exceptions to the current regulations as currently written. Exceptions exist for family members, unaccompanied minors, document holders as well as public interest exceptions.