# Ruth Kaplan's Border Crossing Story

> Ruth Kaplan's five-year border crossing documentation vanishes after closure.
- Title: Ruth Kaplan's Border Crossing Story · Digital Camera World
- Summary: Ruth Kaplan's five-year border crossing documentation vanishes after closure. Ruth Kaplan's book reveals a border crossing that no longer exists after…
- Keywords: roxham road, asylum seekers, canada, border crossing, refugee claims, ruth kaplan, kehrer verlag, safe third country agreement, 2023, 2022, 2018, Digital Camera World
- Source: Digital Camera World — https://digitalcameraworld.com/photography/books/it-reveals-no-trace-ruth-kaplan-spent-five-years-documenting-a-border-crossing-that-no-longer-exists
- Published: 2026-11-08T01:10:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: roxham road, asylum seekers, canada, border crossing, refugee claims, ruth kaplan, kehrer verlag, safe third country agreement, 2023, 2022, 2018
## Roxham Road Border Site
Asylum seekers wait in line outside the Canadian border building to begin their refugee claims.
## Ruth Kaplan's Five-Year Documentation
Kaplan took pictures from 2018 to 2023, documenting the border crossing that closed in 2023.
## The Border Crossing Process
Asylum seekers were told they couldn't cross legally but could proceed to claim refugee status after acknowledging the warning.
## Safe Third Country Agreement
Under the Safe Third Country Agreement, asylum seekers from the US couldn't claim asylum at official crossings but could use Roxham Road to enter Canada.
## Roxham Road Closure
The border crossing closed in 2023 after the two countries amended the Safe Third Country Agreement.
## Kaplan's Personal Connection
Kaplan's mother survived a concentration camp, giving her familiarity with the asylum seekers she documented.
## Seasonal Changes
The border site changes with seasons: summer has wildflowers and winter has floodlights and snow.
## The Book's Release
Crossing: From USA to Canada, Walking Roxham Road by Ruth Kaplan is published by Kehrer Verlag at $50 / £32.
## No Trace Left
Kaplan says the site reveals no trace of what happened after closing in 2023.
## Key takeaway

Ruth Kaplan's book reveals a border crossing that no longer exists after closing in 2023.