Refugee organizations across Canada have been fielding inquiries from potential migrants from the United States as U.S. President Donald Trump vows to carry out what he described as the “largest deportation operation” in American history.

Since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump has announced a series of immigration-related executive orders pushing for a major crackdown on and removal of undocumented individuals from the country and quickly began making good on his word, already rounding up migrants and sending them packing. Canadian organizations have since been gearing up for a potential surge in asylum seekers.

“What we’ve been hearing from organizations that support refugees… is that, since Trump was elected there have been around 900 calls from ‘U.S. Citizens’ requesting support,” said Diana Gallego, president of the Canadian Council for Refugees.

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Trump’s orders — which include cancellation of all refugee travel to the U.S. and reversing a long-standing policy to permit ICE arrests at churches — has been condemned by American Catholic leaders. In a statement, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the orders “deeply troubling” and urged the Trump administration to “reconsider those actions.”

Gallego said these orders could have devastating consequences for those who have previously sought asylum in the U.S., including individuals fleeing domestic violence and families escaping to protect their children from being recruited into gangs.

With all the rhetoric against refugees and migrants in the United States, Gallego feels more asylum seekers will turn their sights towards Canada. In the event of a possible influx, organizations believe that individuals would likely enter Canada via Montreal or Manitoba, with many avoiding the border at Niagara Falls. There would then be a secondary migration to major cities like Toronto.

However, entering Canada presents its own set of challenges. The harsh winter conditions aside, Gallego highlighted that asylum seekers would face significant barriers due to Canada’s ongoing housing crisis, which has been brought on in part by the influx of previous rounds of refugees as well as expanded immigration. With the skyrocketing rents and an increasing demand for affordable housing, finding stable shelter will be a struggle. Additionally, providing for their families could become more difficult as the current job market remains challenging for newcomers.

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While no additional steps have been taken since Trump’s deportation announcement, Gallego mentioned that her organization, FCJ Refugee Centre in Toronto — which was opened by the Faithful Companions of Jesus Sisters — has been closely working with the City of Toronto and running a program that helps refugees find affordable housing. She believes this will also prove useful in the event of an influx of refugees from the U.S.

Meanwhile, she urged an increase in financial support for the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Gallego anticipates the expected rise in asylum claims will call for additional resources, particularly in the form of adjudicators,

The Government of Canada, on the other hand, has also intensified measures to curb the movement of undocumented individuals across the U.S.-Canada border. In a recent press release, Minister of Public Safety, David J. McGuinty and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada Marc Miller announced plans to "reinforce the integrity" of the shared border with the United States.

The $1.3-billion effort will see the IRCC, Public Safety, CBSA and RCMP work in conjunction to minimize border volumes and “reduce non-genuine visitors and illegal crossings at the border.”

“We are building more invisible walls. Canada cannot theoretically build a concrete wall,” Gallego said. “But the invisible walls we’re building are telling people, ‘You’re not welcome.’ ”

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While there have been critics, Gallego noted that Canadians have shown strong support for refugees, a sentiment she hopes will endure amid a potential influx from the United States. However, she also expressed concerns about the possibility of politicians using refugees and migrants as scapegoats during the upcoming election, which could be called once Parliament returns from prorogation in March.

“I hope that Canadians will not forget that many of us, myself included, came here as refugees,” she said. “And I don’t want to close the doors behind me.”