Illegal border crossings have soared more than sevenfold in the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector, with agents apprehending more illegal aliens in New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont in two months than in the previous two years combined, according to officials.
So far in fiscal year 2023, which began on Oct. 1, 2022, the number of apprehensions has surpassed all of those logged during the prior year, according to CBP, which described the trend as a “sustained increase” in illegal crossings.
The Swanton Sector encompasses the northern border of the United States, specifically the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and northeastern parts of New York. It includes rural and remote areas, as well as mountains and lowland swamps. When combined with sustained sub-freezing temperatures and unpredictable storm fronts, the terrain and weather patterns present hazards for border crossers that can easily prove fatal.
“These environmental challenges, coupled with the sharp increase in illicit cross-border traffic, generate great concern for the potential loss of human life,” CBP stated.
Amid the jump in illegal crossings, agents operating in the sector have continued to encounter family groups with children, some as young as just several months old, according to CBP.
Many people undertaking the perilous trek during freezing winter months are unaware of the dangers posed by the weather and terrain, CBP stated.
“Swanton Sector’s greatest concern in carrying out our mission of border security is the preservation of life—the lives of community residents we are sworn to protect, the lives of our Border Patrol Agents carrying out the mission day-in and day-out in the field, and the lives of the individuals, families, and children we are charged with apprehending as they attempt to circumvent legal processes for entry,” Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the transnational criminal organizations that stand to profit from the increased flow of human traffic care only about profits and have no concern for the welfare of those whose plight they seek to exploit for financial gain.”
In another incident in December 2022, a border patrol agent witnessed an illegal immigrant from Haiti collapse on the side of the road in North Troy, Vermont, and proceeded to call for emergency medical assistance while administering first aid.
The individual was taken to the hospital and treated for hypothermia and other medical issues that were caused by prolonged exposure to rain and cold temperatures, according to CBP.
“The dangers posed by trying to cross the border illegally, especially during winter months, are very real and can be fatal,” Patrol Agent in Charge Michael Shick said in a statement at the time.
“This was a perfect example of the work that agents encounter and are prepared to deal with on a daily basis. Although this incident resulted in a rescue, the reality is that this situation could have ended in a recovery and as we get deeper into the winter months the likelihood of these types of encounters ending poorly rises exponentially.”
Hypothermia, which is caused by falling body temperature and can result in disorientation and difficulty moving, can be a life-threatening condition.
Southern Border
The number of illegal immigrant encounters across the U.S. southern border for December 2022 rose to a monthly record, with CBP reporting a figure that topped 250,000.Despite the record-breaking figure, CBP Acting Commissioner Troy Miller said the Biden administration’s efforts at the border have been effective.
“Early data suggests the expanded measures for Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans are having a similar impact, and we look forward to sharing the additional data in the next update.”
The program allows up to 24,000 Venezuelans to enter the United States under parole authority, which grants them entry and work authorization for a year but isn’t a legal status.
The most deadly border sectors have traditionally been the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and the Tucson Sector in Arizona, with the river and summer heat claiming the most lives as human traffickers leave the sick and injured to die.
Former President Donald Trump said recently that, if elected in 2024, he would order the U.S. military to crack down on Mexican drug cartels, which are involved in human trafficking.
Trump said on Jan. 5 that he would designate cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and block their access to the global financial system while asking Congress to pass laws that would punish drug smugglers and human traffickers with the death penalty.
