Border Patrol asks for volunteer agents to reinforce the northern border

In recent months, illegal immigration in the area has increased by more than 800%, according Customs and Border Protection.

Klondike Highway border / Frontera norte — (James Brooks / Flickr).

Published by

Rosana Rábago Sainz

22 de febrero, 2023

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Customs and Border Protection assured that illegal immigration at the northern border increased by 846% in the last fiscal year. For that reason, Fox News revealed, CBP leadership is asking agents to volunteer to move to the northern border.

The request was made by Border Patrol Deputy Chief Juan Garcia in an internal email sent to sector chiefs, which was accessed by the New York Post. In the letter, Garcia requested assistance for the Swanton Sector, which includes locations in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire, to relocate from March 1 through April:

Swanton Sector (SWB) is experiencing an increase in illegal entries (primarily Mexican migrants with no legal documents to enter the United States) from Canada. Due to the increased numbers, stations are task saturated with processing large groups, which has contributed to gotaway events, pedestrian, and vehicle incursions. Due to the strain caused by this surge, USBP HQ is seeking volunteers from the Northern and Southwest Border Sectors (NB) to temporarily detail additional personnel to SWB to increase detention and custody operations, transportation, and flight line security operations.

Historic increase of illegal immigration at the northern border

According to a statement released on Feb. 13 by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the sector experienced a historic increase in illegal crossings. Thus, despite the low temperatures recorded in January (-4ºF), there were still 367 migrant encounters. This figure, the organization reveals, exceeds the number of encounters reported in the same month over the last 12 years combined (344 in total).

What is worrisome, however, are the overall figures. In the current fiscal year, which started on Oct. 1, 2022, total arrests and encounters already exceeded those from fiscal years 2022 and 2021 combined. Cases continue to increase, according to Robert N. Garcia, the chief patrol officer of the Swanton Sector:

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. 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.