During the 2023 fiscal year, the United States/Canadian border saw a 550% increase in illegal immigrant crossings.
According to Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia, the majority of illegal immigrants are from Mexico, India, Venezuela, Haiti, and Romania.
The Daily Mail reported that 6,925 illegal immigrants were apprehended in the Swanton sector in fiscal year 2023.
Last year, only 1,000 migrants were apprehended at the same border area.
In October, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) announced a Northern Border Alliance Task Force to combat illegal immigration.
“The Federal Government refuses to take action on our Northern Border,” the governor said at the time. “They cut funding, limited our resources, and have thrown their hands up. Without adequate federal support, the state is stepping up. Encounters with individuals on the terrorist watch list at the Land Border Ports of Entry along the northern border have doubled since 2017. This is a stark contrast to what we are seeing on the southern border, where Land Border Port of Entry encounters have decreased during that same time period.
“In fact, just this year, 85% of all land border encounters with individuals on the terrorist watchlist occurred on the northern border – while only 15% occurred on the southern border. In meeting with local law enforcement up north, it is clear we need more targeted resources,” he stated.
Attorney General John Formella said, “The increase in personnel provided by the Northern Border Alliance Program and Task Force will add ten thousand patrol hours near the border through June 30, 2025. This will shorten response times to calls for service in the region, increase the effectiveness of crime detection and prevention in a remote area of the State, and enhance border security efforts.”
