Illegal immigration along the U.S.-Canada border has reached unprecedented levels, with nearly 20,000 individuals apprehended in the Swanton Sector in fiscal year 2024. This sector, which covers New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, has seen more illegal crossings this year than in the last 17 years combined, a surge that is raising alarm about the effectiveness of current immigration policies.
Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia reported that the illegal immigrants apprehended came from 97 different countries, showcasing the wide-reaching scope of the issue. The numbers have surged dramatically compared to fiscal year 2023, which saw 6,925 arrests, and fiscal year 2022, with just 1,065. This uptick suggests that the border crisis, long focused on the southern border, has now reached the north.
The spike in illegal crossings coincides with growing criticism of the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies, which many argue are too lenient. Under the Trump administration, illegal crossings from Canada rarely surpassed 1,000 in a single year, highlighting the stark contrast between the two administrations’ handling of immigration.
Although the Department of Homeland Security has implemented measures to expedite the asylum process for those crossing from Canada, critics contend that these efforts are insufficient to address the sheer volume of illegal crossings. Many believe that the administration’s current approach is contributing to the crisis by failing to secure both borders effectively.
As the situation escalates, more Americans are calling for stronger immigration enforcement and policy reforms to address the growing challenges at the northern border.
