For Mary Ann and Mike Jeffries, Florida has been their warm-weather sanctuary for the past 15 years, a place where they could escape harsh Canadian winters and live an active, vibrant life. But recent political changes have made their seasonal home feel less welcoming.
The couple, who live in Moncton, New Brunswick, has decided to permanently leave their home away from home in Florida—a decision they never thought they’d make.
The Jeffries’ are just one of the many Canadian “snowbirds” who flock to the U.S. every year to enjoy the mild Florida climate. But as the U.S. government tightens regulations on foreign nationals, including Canadians, their situation has become increasingly difficult.
A new policy from the U.S government will require foreign nationals visiting for more than 30 days to register with the government, as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigrants. This includes Canadians who enter the U.S. by land—a group that has been overlooked in the past, as they typically don’t receive the same documentation as those flying in.
It’s part of the “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” executive order that U.S. President Donald Trump signed on January 20th.
The Jeffries were shocked when they learned of the upcoming changes in an email from an organization that represents snowbirds.
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“We were shocked when we got the email from the Canadian Snowbird Association,” said Mary Ann, referring to the recent communication alert. “Every year we’ve come through, we give them our passports, they know about our movements, and we also complete a form,” she added.
Although the couple understands the need to document people coming into a country, they are disappointed with the language and tonality in the executive order.
It reads in part “Many of these aliens unlawfully within the United States present significant threats to national security and public safety, committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans. (…) Many have abused the generosity of the American people, and their presence in the United States has cost taxpayers billions of dollars at the Federal, State, and local levels.”
“The issue is the package that it was sent in and the language that was being used,” said Mike. “The language that’s being touted around politically here is somewhat frightening,” he added.
The couple expressed concerns over the way Canadians and other minorities have been spoken about the past few months and are worried such labels could enable more conflict.
“That kind of language leads to a mindset that says it’s okay to behave a certain way against people. And we certainly have seen it with visible minorities and we’re starting to see it now again with Canadians as well,” Mike said.
The new policy has made the couple feel like unwanted guests in the country they’ve called a second home for so long and already made the decision to sell their Florida home last year.
Mike said he even witnessed someone yelling “Go home, Canadian!” to a friend of theirs that was attending a group function.
With the political climate becoming increasingly hostile, the rhetoric surrounding immigrants and foreign nationals only heightened their concerns. Now, with the new registration requirement, they’ve decided it’s time to stop returning as snowbirds altogether.
“We’ll miss it here,” Mike said. “We’ve made incredible friends, and it’s a very healthy lifestyle. But the politics are just too much. All of that has created a very tense kind of place to live in.”
With over a million Canadians spending winters in the U.S. each year, the new regulations could force a reevaluation of their travel plans. While some Canadians may choose to comply with the new requirements, others, like the Jeffries, feel the political climate is too toxic to bear.
As the couple prepares to return to Canada for the spring, they say they can’t imagine going for three or four months anymore.
For now, the Jeffries will return to New Brunswick, hoping for a calmer political climate in the near future.
