U.S. border patrol reports record number of encounters with migrants at the Canadian border

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has reported a record number of migrant encounters between border posts on the Canada-U.S. border between October 2023 and July 2024.

Experts suggest this trend could present challenges for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, as illegal immigration becomes a key issue in the tight U.S. election race.

CBP defines an "encounter" as either identifying someone inadmissible to the U.S. or when border patrol officers discover someone who has illegally crossed between posts. Between October 2023 and July 2024, CBP reported 19,498 encounters along the northern border, with 15,612 of these occurring in the Swanton Sector, which covers Quebec's border with New York and Vermont.

Though the numbers are still far lower than those at the U.S. southern border, the current figures are more than double the 7,630 encounters from the same period the previous year. The year before that, only 2,238 encounters were recorded.

U.S. media attention on the northern border has grown, especially over the summer. On August 22, former president Donald Trump, speaking with Fox News, highlighted the issue of illegal migration over the southern border but added, “the U.S. now had a problem on the northern border with migrants coming in from Canada."

Kelly Sundberg, a professor at Mount Royal University and former enforcement officer with the Canada Border Services Agency, said the situation could become politically sensitive for Trudeau’s government. "I hate to admit it, but I think that Donald Trump is right on this, that there is a need to focus north," Sundberg said. He noted that both Trump's and Kamala Harris' campaigns have acknowledged concerns regarding the northern border.

RCMP Sgt. Charles Poirier stated, "there isn't a day or night where there isn't a crossing." He noted that the RCMP intercepts over 100 people per week on the Canadian side of the border in Quebec alone, though many more likely make it to the U.S.

U.S. reports have described a surge in taxis and vehicles transporting migrants from small New York border towns to New York City. Washington State immigration lawyer Greg Boos explained, "As the southern border has gotten tighter, the coyotes (smugglers) are telling people to come to Canada and then they try to smuggle them into the United States."

Keith Cozine, a homeland security professor at St. John's University in New York, expressed concern over the rising numbers, stating that the current figures "are more than the past 10 years combined, even probably longer than that." He also referenced the recent arrest of a Pakistani national in Canada suspected of planning an attack in New York, calling it "alarming."

On September 4, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan was arrested by the RCMP in Ormstown, Quebec, while allegedly trying to cross into the U.S. with the help of a human smuggler. Authorities claim he intended to carry out an attack targeting Jewish citizens in New York City.

U.S. CBP data revealed that Indian nationals made up the largest group of migrants stopped at the northern border, with 9,742 of the 19,498 encounters between October and July involving Indian nationals. Sgt. Poirier mentioned that migrants from Mexico were previously more common, but changes in visa requirements have reduced their numbers.

Poirier explained that many migrants now arrive at international airports in Montreal or Toronto and attempt to cross the border within hours of landing. Smugglers often leave migrants in remote areas, putting them at significant risk. "At night, with the cold setting in and the darkness, they get disoriented, they have kids," he said. Tragically, some have died during their journey.

Canada’s immigration process involves several agencies, including Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, and the RCMP. Sundberg noted that Canada’s immigration system is slow and disorganized, with some cases falling through the cracks. "What that means is the people who enter Canada as visitors, students, tourists, temporary workers, permanent residents, refugee claimants... a whole lot of them are not screened," Sundberg said.

Sundberg added that the U.S. is aware of Canada’s limited capacity to screen people, and that "the Americans can't trust our system."

In June, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged the concern over the flow of migrants entering the U.S. from Canada and emphasized the need for cooperation with the U.S. "It's something that I think we need to look at with increased focus," Miller said, adding that more discipline should be applied to the immigration system.

NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan pointed out that recent changes to Canadian immigration policy may have driven students and temporary foreign workers to seek opportunities in the U.S.

The Canada Border Services Agency stated that it is working closely with U.S. authorities to address irregular border crossings but did not specify whether it had increased resources or implemented new measures.

Poirier noted that the RCMP has enhanced cooperation with U.S. Border Patrol, using more technology, such as cameras and motion detectors, to monitor the border. Instead of increasing the number of officers, the RCMP has shifted its focus to dismantling smuggling networks.

"It's more the way we're working that has changed," Poirier said. "Short of us having a police officer behind every tree in the woods, we're not going to catch those people."