Canadian authorities are on high alert, watching the US border closely for a potential rise in asylum seekers after Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris. Reportedly, many undocumented migrants, especially from minority communities, are expected to seek refuge in Canada due to the new administration’s plan to carry out the largest mass deportation in US history.

Reportedly, during his campaign, Trump repeatedly called immigrants “poisoning the blood of our country,” which has raised fears that his strict immigration policies will force more people to flee to Canada for safety.

“We’re on high alert. All of our eyes are looking at the border to see what’s going to happen… because we know that Trump’s stance on immigration might drive up illegal and irregular migration to Canada,” a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman, Sergeant Charles Poirier said, Hindustan times reported citing AFP.

According to the reports, he warned that the worst-case scenario would involve a significant increase in border crossings, with large numbers of people entering Canada. “Let’s say we had 100 people per day entering across the border, then it’s going to be hard because our officers will basically have to cover huge distances in order to arrest everyone,” he added, during a conversation with Reuters,” he said.

According to the reports, Canada is already facing a surge in refugee claims, with nearly 20,000 filed in July alone and over 250,000 still pending. The FCJ Refugee Centre in Toronto, which supports dozens of new asylum-seekers each week, is bracing for the challenges ahead. Founder Loly Rico has expressed concerns about the additional strain the upcoming winter could place on the already overwhelmed system.