A peak in illegal crossings, but a trough in border police

Never has the Canada-US border seen such clandestine activity.

It happens all the time, day and nightobserves, a bit disillusioned, an employee of a quarry in the south of Montérégie, leaving his post at the end of the day.

In his car, he shows us the professional card of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officer. We have to call them as soon as we see someone. They [les migrants] go through the career. It’s easy to cross it, there is a road and you can’t get lost.

This quarry, near Hemmingford, leads directly to a wood that the migrants only have to cross in a few minutes before continuing on their route along a parallel path on American soil.

In this area, west of Highway 15 leading into New York State, the number of illegal crossings has exploded, causing a real crisis on the American side of the border, as revealed by Radio-Canada.

In May alone, nearly 3,000 migrants were intercepted in this sector by American agents. Unprecedented.

Six Canadian agents for 160 km

However, despite this historic situation, the number of Canadian agents patrolling the border has continued to decline since the dismantling of the federal installations on Roxham Road last year. At that time, around a hundred police officers took turns at the end of this now famous road.

Now, during certain shifts, there are only six agents to cover a territory of approximately 160 kilometers, compared to a dozen just a few months ago, Radio-Canada learned.

In recent months, police officers have joined other teams, notably for the security of Justin Trudeau, Minister Mélanie Joly or, currently, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, on tour in Quebec.

Given the size of the sector to be covered, certain areas of the border are even neglected, sources told us. Agents would also be disillusioned and perplexed by the lack of means and resources. We feel that the border is not the priorityseveral police officers told us.

And this limited workforce is felt on the ground. During a recent entire night spent in this sector, on the edge of one of the places most targeted by smugglers, Radio-Canada only came across one vehicle from the GRCin addition to 12 hours in the field.

For safety reasonsthe GRC however, refused to comment on this matter.

Quebec elected officials launch an appeal for help

In early June, the municipal council of Havelock, a small municipality in Montérégie on the border, sounded the alarm by adopting a resolution aimed at warning Ottawa of the risks and dangers for citizens.

Earlier this year, the City of Dundee adopted a similar approach.

It’s a strong gesture on their part. They want increased police surveillancesays Bloc Québécois MP Claude DeBellefeuille, who represents the riding of Salaberry-Suroît.

What is happening is unacceptable. However, it is not new. People feel abandoned by the federal government.

The Quebec elected official has just written to the Minister of Public Security, Dominic LeBlanc, with the aim of seeing rapid intervention from Ottawa in this matter. And she’s not the only one to take up the pen.

The mayor of Saint-Armand, Caroline Rosetti, has also just contacted the federal government.

Our territory needs more agents than we currently have. We are left to our own devices.deplores Caroline Rosetti, who heads this municipality located in Estrie, east of Lake Champlain.

We see that the numbers [de la GRC] are insufficient, while we see these organized networks setting up. We are in the unknown and it is scary.

These migrants and their smugglers regularly use the properties of local residents to reach the border, she explains.

Our citizens, it is normal, are fearful. We want to know Ottawa’s plan, proclaims Mayor Rosetti. Do they want to eliminate crossings? Or let these people go to the United States? We need to be told.

A loss of controldenounces Quebec

Planned by the management of the GRC Last fall, this reshuffle of police forces at the border had been denounced by the Legault government. Faced with this dizzying increase in the number of illegal crossings, Quebec is once again raising its voice.

Through his office, the Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, believes that the border is not adequately monitored.

Here we have another example of the federal government’s loss of control over border management.

It is necessary, he adds, deploy sufficient level of resources to ensure border surveillance.

Questioned by Radio-Canada, Minister Dominic LeBlanc, one of the pillars of the Trudeau government, nevertheless refuses to question the choices of the police force.

GRC has the right to review its operational decisions, explains its press officer, Jean-Sébastien Comeau. Our role is to support their work through investments and regulatory measures, and that is exactly what we have done in recent years.”,”text”:”Only the RCMP has the right to review its decisions of an operational nature, explains its press officer, Jean-Sébastien Comeau. Our role is to support their work through investments and regulatory measures, and that is exactly what we have done in recent years.”}}”>Only the GRC has the right to review its decisions of an operational nature, explains its press officer, Jean-Sébastien Comeau. Our role is to support their work through investments and regulatory measures, and that is exactly what we have done in recent years.

The integrity of our shared border with the United States is essential to the security of Canadians, and we will continue to do everything possible to combat illegal migrant smuggling networks.

Thousands of Indians and criminal networks

The number of interceptions in southern Quebec has seen a dizzying jump in just a few months, going from 585 in January to 2,911 in May.

And this growth is not slowing down. According to a message from the American authorities on social networks, more than 2,500 people crossed the border illegally again in June.

To cover this territory, the United States Border Protection Service has human resources, increased last year, significantly greater than its Canadian counterpart.

Currently, Radio-Canada has learned, approximately 280 American agents are patrolling the Swanton sector, which covers a 470 km border zone extending from the east of the St. Lawrence River, with the State of New York and Vermont, to the tip of New Hampshire.

While the vast majority of these crossings take place near Lake Champlain, they largely involve people from India. And here again, the growth has been phenomenal.

Since the beginning of the year, the number of Indians, often very young, arrested by American customs officials has increased by 1,300%, from 167 in January to 2,323 in May.

According to our information, the vast majority of these migrants arrive at the airports of Montreal or Toronto with a tourist visa or a study permit, before crossing the border clandestinely through southern Quebec.

Very well-organized networks have also proliferated to allow these Indians, but also nationals of Bangladesh, to reach the United States by different means.

These groups can request up to US$35,000 per person. In addition to plane tickets and transportation to the border, these networks take care of administrative documents, such as obtaining a passport and a visa to Canada.

But these Indian organizations are not the only ones operating on the Canada-U.S. border. As revealed InvestigationMexican and South American criminal groups have also been very active in recent months.

[Nous] apprehended migrants who admitted or are suspected of gang membership, some involved in human trafficking and other crimesconfirms the head of the Swanton sector, agent Robert Garcia, in a message posted at the end of June on social networks.

Angry American elected officials

Further south, American elected officials, of all allegiances, are also raising their voices, with increasing vigor.

In a letter sent in mid-June to the Biden administration, Republican Representative Elise Stefanik of New York State expressed her great concern to see known or suspected terrorists arrive in the United States from Canada.

Other members of Congress have made similar comments.

The crisis on our porous northern border has been even more neglected than the crisis on our southern border.

Under Biden, Illegal Crossings at Our Northern Border Continue to Increase at an Alarming Ratethe Republican claims on his social networks Nick Langworthyfrom the State of New York.

The latter has even just tabled a bill (New window)in order to secure the border Canadian-American.

The Republican Party is not alone in putting pressure on Washington. Democrats are also making similar statements.

The northern border needs more technology and personnelNew Hampshire Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan said recently (New window).

With the collaboration of Aude Garachon