Illegal Northern Border Crossings In Last Three Months Smashed Figures For Whole Previous Years

Illegal migrant crossings at the U.S.-Canadian border in the last three months exceeded the total number of crossings in both fiscal years 2021 and 2022 combined, according to federal data updated Friday.

Border Patrol recorded 3,846 encounters of migrants crossing into the U.S. illegally from Canada between October and December, according to the data. There were a total of 3,154 encounters of illegal migrants at the northern border in both fiscal years 2021 and 2022.

Of those who crossed the northern border illegally in December, 1,608 were Mexican nationals, according to the data. Mexican nationals are not required to possess a visa to travel to Canada, only electronic travel authorization for seven Canadian dollars.

CBP recorded 302,034 encounters of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in December, marking the highest month on record, according to the data.

“The men and women of CBP continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws at and between ports of entry and continue to work with our Mexican partners along our shared border. CBP remains vigilant to respond to the serious challenges we are experiencing across the southwest border,” Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner Troy A. Miller said in a statement Friday.

“CBP continues to use all available resources to ensure the safety and security of our agents and officers, and the migrants who are often misled and victimized by the transnational criminal organizations. But as we have repeatedly said, CBP and our federal partners need additional support from Congress so that we can continue to effectuate consequences for those who do not use established lawful pathways,” Miller said.

President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a deal in March to crack down on the influx of migrants crossing into the U.S., but illegal crossings from Canada into the U.S. have only increased.

Northern Border resident Dan Cowan says things have gone from bad to worse on his property.

“It is worse now than a year ago,” Cowan told the DCNF in December.

The increasing in crossings at the northern border have overwhelmed border agents, who are also being pulled for deployments at the southern border and for virtual processing of migrants that cross there via video call.

Border agents recorded more 2.2 million encounters of migrants crossing the southern border illegally in fiscal year 2022 and more than 2 million in fiscal year 2023, according to federal data.

“Agents become overwhelmed with the amount of work that they have to do,” President of the National Border Patrol Council for the Swanton sector Sean Walsh told the DCNF in March, adding “The priority is the southern border so the majority of the resources are diverted [there].”