Northern border migrant crossings reach record high

Feb 15, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Stacey Chamberlain (Producer/Editor)

While the national attention on the border crossings zeros in on the record number of encounters at the southern border, migrants are also crossing into the U.S. through its northern border. Those crossings are reaching record highs.

Despite temperatures as low as negative 4 degrees are crossing from Canada into the U.S., migrants are undeterred in trying to reach America. Border agents are even having to rescue migrants from harsh winter conditions. Border Patrol from one sector in Vermont encountered more migrants in January alone than it has in the last 12 years combined.

The number of migrant encounters at the northern border have more than tripled year-over-year. In 2020, migrant encounters were a little more than 32,000. In fiscal year 2021, there were 27,000. But in fiscal year 2022, the first full year of President Biden in office, the number spiked to more than 109,000.

Meanwhile, at the southern border, there was a decrease in crossings from December to January. Crossings dropped from a record high of a quarter million to 156,000 encounters. Straight Arrow News Political Correspondent Ray Bogan discussed why federal law enforcement officials believe there was a dramatic decrease month over month. Find his report here on StraightArrowNews.com

Tags: Border patrol, Canada, Immigration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Vermont

KARAH RUCKER: WHILE THE NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE BORDER CRISIS ZEROS IN ON THE RECORD NUMBER OF ENCOUNTERS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER – MIGRANTS ARE ALSO CROSSING INTO THE US THROUGH ITS NORTHERN BORDER AT RECORD HIGHS.

DESPITE TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS NEGATIVE FOUR DEGREES CROSSING FROM CANADA INTO THE US – MIGRANTS ARE UNDETERRED TRYING TO REACH AMERICA. BORDER AGENTS EVEN HAVING TO RESCUE MIGRANTS FROM HARSH WINTER CONDITIONS.

BORDER PATROL FROM ONE SECTOR IN VERMONT ENCOUNTERED MORE MIGRANTS IN JANUARY ALONE THAN THEY HAVE THE LAST 12 YEARS COMBINED.

ILLUSTRATED BY THE GRAPH – YOU SEE THE NUMBER OF MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT THE NORTHERN BORDER MORE THAN TRIPLE YEAR-OVER-YEAR. IN 2020, MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS WERE A LITTLE MORE THAN 32 THOUSAND.

IN FISCAL YEAR 2021…THERE WERE 27 THOUSAND. BUT IN FISCAL YEAR 2022 — THE FIRST FULL YEAR OF PRESIDENT BIDEN IN OFFICE — THE NUMBER SPIKES TO MORE THAN 109 THOUSAND.

MEANWHILE AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER – THERE WAS A DECREASE IN CROSSINGS FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY -DROPPING FROM A RECORD HIGH OF A QUARTER MILLION TO 156 THOUSAND ENCOUNTERS. OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RAY BOGAN DISCUSSED WHY FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS BELIEVE THERE WAS A DRAMATIC DECREASE MONTH OVER MONTH. YOU CAN FIND HIS REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.