Trump Ends Customs-Free Access at Haskell Free Library

The administration of Donald Trump canceled a century-old agreement at the Haskell Free Library, ending a policy that allowed Canadian residents in Stanstead, Quebec, to enter the facility in Derby Line, Vermont, without passing through customs. The U.S. government justified the move as a necessary step to combat illicit cross-border activities. To ensure continued access for Canadians, a new entrance is being constructed on the building's side.

This decision follows a period of deteriorating bilateral relations. President Trump recently suggested annexing Canada, imposed tariffs that resulted in job losses, and terminated trade talks after the government of Ontario released an anti-tariff advertisement.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reacted to the decision by stating the U.S.-Canada relationship would never be the same again, asserting that decades of economic ties have been permanently ruptured. Sylvie Boudreau, president of the Haskell Free Library board of trustees, characterized the end of the arrangement as the end of something.