Stanstead, QC –Residents of this small Quebec town that borders Derby Line, Vermont were surprised when then U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, showed up in March of 2025 accompanied by border agents and drug sniffing dogs. A smiling Noem reportedly skipped across the border, declaring, “U.S.A. Number One, ” while on the American side and “The 51st State!” while on the Canadian side. Noem’s stunt angered both Canadians and Americans, who have coexisted peacefully on both sides of the border .
Photo by Alex Brandon/Pool/AFP via Getty images.
Canusa Street named for Canada and the USA divides the towns of Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont. Both towns share the same water. If there were a fire or other emergency, the Canadian and American fire departments will assist each other if needed. For generations people along the border have been friends and neighbors. There has been many cross border marriages with families living on both sides. Former U.S. President Barack Obama once praised both towns for their shared cooperation,
The Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles both sides of the Canadian and U.S. border. It is the only library in the world that sits in two countries and has been shared by Canadians and Americans for more than 120 years. The library was the gift of Martha Stewart Haskell, a wealthy Canadian married to a wealthy American. Construction on the Victorian building began in 1901 and was completed in 1904. It includes reading materials in both French and English. Upstairs is a 400 seat opera house which offers film screenings, plays and musical performances to the public. Shortly after Noem’s visit, new rules were put in place by the Trump administration. Canadians were no longer allowed to use the sidewalk to the front entrance which sits on the American side. Instead they would have to report to U.S. Port of Entry or enter through the back, a seldom used emergency exit. Visitors to the library would also have to leave from the same exit which they entered from. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the changes were necessary because of incidents of drug smuggling and illicit activity around the library. They say the order was put in place to protect Americans, but according to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime, most of the drug movement on the Northern border is from the U.S. into Canada.
Unfortunately the back entry was not accessible for people with disabilities and because the library was an older building, the cost of renovations, which are still being completed at this time rose to more than $500,000. The library has received a number of donations from both Canadians and Americans who disagree with the policies of the Trump Administration and supporters from around the world to help offset the some of the costs.
When I visited the library in November 2025, I had forgotten to bring my passport which I had left back in my hotel room in Montreal. I entered through the backdoor Canadian entrance. Had I chosen to enter through the front door or crossed the street into Vermont, I could have been arrested and taken to jail by my own country. I felt bad for the for the librarians and the staff who are doing their best under absurd circumstances. Libraries were meant to be places of knowledge and culture and open to all who entered them. Today they are being attacked and in many cases books and other informational materials, especially those written by LGBTQ and authors of color are being banned. To visit or learn more about the Haskell Free Library and Opera House: https://www.haskelloperahouse.org/
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