A sector of the northern border has seen a nearly 900% increase in illegal migration, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
Between October and January, Border Patrol agents in the Swanton sector of the Vermont-Canadian border saw a roughly 846% increase in migrant encounters and arrests, according to CBP. In total, agents in the sector have recorded a surge at the start of fiscal year 2023 that has surpassed both fiscal years’ 2021 and 2022 combined total of 1,430 encounters. (RELATED: The Biden Admin Is Making It Easier For Illegal Immigrants To Roam The US Without Tracking Them)
Border Patrol agents in the Swanton sector recorded more than 367 migrant arrests and encounters in January, surpassing January apprehensions for the past 12 years altogether, according to CBP.
“As we progress deeper into winter and continue to address the ongoing pace of illicit cross-border traffic, the level of concern for the lives and welfare of our Border Patrol Agents and those we are encountering – particularly vulnerable populations – continues to climb,” Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia said in a statement Monday. “It cannot be stressed enough: not only is it unlawful to circumvent legal means of entry into the United States, but it is extremely dangerous, particularly in adverse weather conditions, which our Swanton Sector has in incredible abundance.”
Record breaking JAN: Despite area temps reaching -4, our #BorderPatrol Agents apprehended 367 subjects in January—MORE than 12 preceding years of January totals COMBINED! For the period OCT-JAN, encounters rose 846% against the same prior-year timeframe. https://t.co/W8qaFlkj7E
— Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia (@USBPChiefSWB) February 13, 2023
The surge in the Swanton sector is part of a greater trend of increasing illegal migration levels at both the northern border and southern border.
With millions of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in the last couple of years, Border Patrol agents have been relocated from the northern border to the southern border to help process illegal migrants into the country, according to border officials who previously spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation. The loss of some manpower at the northern border and lax visa requirements for some Central Americans has led to more encounters across from Canada.
“This domino effect all starts on the southwest but then the effects are felt everywhere because we have to use resources to deal with what’s taking place down south and when you do that, then of course, you leave yourself wide open in other areas, and that’s what we’re seeing on the North right now,” National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) President Brandon Judd previously told the DCNF.
“Everybody thinks that the issue is just the southwest border. It’s not,” Judd said.
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