One of Canada's top courts ruled Wednesday an agreement with the US that bars people from seeking asylum if they arrive from American soil is invalid because it violates migrants' rights. The controversial 2004 deal, known as the Safe Third Country Agreement, says anyone applying for asylum in either the US or Canada must file their application in whichever nation they enter first. However a federal court judge ruled the pact violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not be deprived thereof," judge Ann Marie McDonald wrote, citing the Charter. The agreement has been repeatedly denounced by rights' groups and asylum seekers had challenged it by arguing that the US under President Donald Trump could no longer be considered a "safe" country. To skirt the rule and guarantee their asylum application will be considered in Canada, tens of thousands of migrants have passed into the country through unofficial border crossings, such as at Roxham Road, an area on the border between New York and Quebec. The ruling does not take effect for six months, during which time the government will be able be given a chance to reply. The ruling can also be appealed to a federal appellate court or the Supreme Court. et/jme/ft