For Canada anyway, you get to stay while your TR (temporary residence permit like a study permit or a visitor record) is being processed so long as you have legal and valid entry and a prior valid TR permit.
American citizens do not need a TR to enter Canada for up to 6 months. Also, by quirk of history, Americans do not need a valid passport to enter Canada legally (you just need to prove citizenship which for most people, they do with a passport you can do it with a birth certificate). If you plan on staying for more than 6 months, you can apply for a TR but if they reject you are expected to leave right away or maybe you have to do a flagpole (where you just cross the border back for 1 day) I can't remember. You cannot work or study legally (except ESL stuff) without a TR.
You can apply for refugee status but you might be rejected as the US is considered a safe country- some Harper era stuff, they might not care anymore. Chances are low though.
For Canada anyway, you get to stay while your TR (temporary residence permit like a study permit or a visitor record) is being processed so long as you have legal and valid entry and a prior valid TR permit.
American citizens do not need a TR to enter Canada for up to 6 months. Also, by quirk of history, Americans do not need a valid passport to enter Canada legally (you just need to prove citizenship which for most people, they do with a passport you can do it with a birth certificate). If you plan on staying for more than 6 months, you can apply for a TR but if they reject you are expected to leave right away or maybe you have to do a flagpole (where you just cross the border back for 1 day) I can't remember. You cannot work or study legally (except ESL stuff) without a TR.
You can apply for refugee status but you might be rejected as the US is considered a safe country- some Harper era stuff, they might not care anymore. Chances are low though.