The border between New York City and Canada is snowy. The local sheriff’s offices is asking for more U.S. Border Patrol personnel to address what they call a growing crisis. There are nearly 10 times as many illegal border crossings in this area in the past five months than there were last year. Border crossers face death if they don’t stop.
About 2,000 migrants crossed from Canada to New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York through the forests between October 1 and February 28. This compares to 200 crossings during the same time last year.
Most migrants come from Mexico and can travel to Canada with no visas. They often cross into the U.S. illegally to reunite their families.
Last weekend, Clinton County Sheriff David Favro’s team aided Border Patrol to rescue 39 migrants. Some of their clothes were frozen to their bodies.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent apprehends seven Mexican citizens near Mooers, N.Y., who had crossed into the U.S. from Canada illegally on March 7.
U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector
Favro stated, “We are seeing more people and it can become a deadly terrain for those who don’t know it.”
He stated that responding to rescues such as this has made his department’s resources more stretched than they are to provide for the rural residents of his county. This area, with a population of 80,000, shares about 30 miles of bordering Canada with Quebec.
Favro stated that boots on the ground are the only way to truly cover and protect [the northern frontier]”.
Customs and Border Protection just added 25 agents in the Swanton Sector area last week to discourage migration. Favro and other New Yorkers who spoke with NBC News in Mooers said that this is not enough.
Todd Gumlaw, Chief of Mooers Fire, said that he helped to rescue two Mexican women who were stuck in an icy swamp at night. Gumlaw said that he, Border Patrol, local police, and EMS workers were able to render emergency aid and transport the women to the hospital for mild hypothermia and frostbite after they had lost their shoes in the swamp.
My department is committed to the preservation of human life. Gumlaw stated that we keep [immigration status] at the forefront of our minds.
The Mooers/Champlain area is a cluster of small blue-collar homes and farms. Locals say that “everyone knows everybody” and properties can be a few blocks apart. This creates a feeling of unease for some locals who are witnessing mass migration.
Local first responders say that southbound migrants seek shelter in barns and sheds to keep warm.
April Barcomb, a Mooers resident said that she has had migrants arrive at her door and that she is saving for security cameras.
She said, “It’s something I wouldn’t normally do.” It makes me think twice. With the children and my family, I have to install cameras.”
NBC News spoke with most locals and they agreed that most migrants entering the region aren’t threats. However, neighbors will be keeping an eye out for unusual activity.
Champlain County residents said that people are afraid. It’s fear of the unknown. Because they don’t know the people involved, neighbors are worried about their safety.
Many migrants are Mexicans. They are often prevented from crossing the southern U.S. borders. However, they believe that flying to Canada will make it easier and they can then cross the border into the U.S.A from the north.
A spokesperson for CBP stated that the Swanton Sector was the location of over 67% of all migrant crossings at Canada’s northern border in all eight sectors between February and February.
Contrary to the border at the south, where more than 16,000 Border Patrol agents staff approximately 2,000 miles of border, the border between the U.S.A. and Canada is patrolled by about 2,000 border officers. This border includes Alaska’s borders, making it the longest international land frontier in the world.
New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (Republican) asked Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Tuesday to increase enforcement along his state’s 51-mile border to Canada or give his police more authority to do this.
“Over the past few months, New Hampshire tried to help the federal government secure our northern border. These requests for assistance were repeatedly turned down. Sununu stated that the Biden administration had cut funding and hampered the state’s ability “to assist in patrolling northern border,” Sununu added.
CBP spokesperson said that additional agents sent to Swanton Sector in recent days will deter migrating.
