Both state governments and local authorities out of the Northeastern U.S. are calling for additional assistance from the federal government in dealing with the massive influx of illegal immigrants which have now started flooding into the United States from Canada.
During the period of October 1, 2022, and February 28 of this year close to 2,000 Mexican migrants illegally flowed through the Swanton Sector, a massive 24,000-square-mile stretch of border between Canada, New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Authorities also recorded just 200 such crossings during the same time frame of the year before that, explained a report from NBC News, and the spike is setting off alarm bells for a large number of Americans that make their lives along the northern border.
“People are scared,” expressed a resident of Champlain County, New York. “It’s the fear of the unknown. They’re [neighbors] worried about their safety, because they don’t know these people.”
A different resident of New York explained to NBC that illegal immigrants have appeared at her home unannounced, forcing her to set up a number of security cameras.
“It’s not something I would usually do,” she stated. “But it makes me think twice. And with the kids and the family, I gotta install cameras.”
Because of a change in policy back in 2016 by Canada, Mexican migrants are allowed to fly into the country without the need for visas. The migrants are then able to try to carry out an illegal crossing across the north border instead of attempting to breach the slightly more fortified southern U.S. border, thinking they will find a safer or more easily breachable route in their attempts to illegally get into America. The northern border of the U.S. has only been given a total of 2,00 Border Patrol agents to cover a stretch of close to 5,000 miles while when it comes to the U.S.-Mexico border, 16,000 agents are utilized to cover just 2,000 miles of border, as reported by NBC.
Despite this, attempts to breach the northern border come with their own unique dangers, especially so while in the middle of winter. The border when it comes to the Swanton Sector is very heavily wooded and has very limited if any access at all to emergency services, explained a report from Fox News. Just last month, one migrant hailing from Mexico died while trying to make their way into Vermont from Canada.
Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu just recently sent out a letter recently which was addressed to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in which he requested a large influx of federal agents to help with the rapidly escalating situation along the state’s border with Canada or for direct permission for authorities in his state to take additional action to put a stop to the illegal crossings.
“The Biden Administration has cut funding and hindered the state’s ability to assist in patrolling the northern border,” explained Sununu. “If the Biden Administration truly believes that securing the border is a priority, I hope you will partner with the State of New Hampshire to make this a reality.”
