Biden Border Patrol chief defends migrant crossing hotspot where there's been a 5,000% increase

Even though one area of the border has seen more border crossings this year than in the last 17 years combined, the head of the US Border Patrol is applauding efforts to stop migrant crossings there. 

The Swanton sector of the Border Patrol, which straddles the northern border of the US where Canada, New York State and Vermont meet, had a 5,000% increase in illegal crossings since 2021 when President Joe Biden took office. 

In a recent online post, the top agent in the sector explained that the 19,222 migrants found illegally crossing the area this year is more than if you added up all migrant encounters in the last 17 years. 

The agency boss responded to the shocking figures saying the numbers would have actually been worse if not for the extraordinary efforts by agents on the ground.

'Swanton Sector was extremely busy this past year & I’m proud of how our men & women rose to the challenge,' tweeted Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens.

'Their dedication, and support they received, reduced encounters by >50% from June to September. There’s still more work to do, but their efforts thus far are extraordinary.' 

Migrants looking to by-pass beefed up security at the US-Mexico border instead journey to the 295-mile stretch of northern border that has seen a tremendous increase in illegal foot traffic.

People from around the world fly into Canada, and within an hour or two are at the US-Canada border where they either surrender to Border Patrol agents if they are seeking asylum, or simply sneak into the US with the help of human smugglers. 

Since October, some 19,222 migrants have been stopped by US officials in the Swanton sector, a huge increase from last year, when 6,925 encounters were recorded. 

In 2022, 1,065 migrants were stopped, and the year before only 365 people crossed through that area of the border. 

That's the same year Biden took office.

In previous years, encounters had ranged between 300 to 1,000 per fiscal year. 

Along the northern frontier, federal immigration officials are severely understaffed. 

Even this year's high of 19,222 migrants pales in comparison with the southern border, where the busiest crossing, Tucson sector, has seen more than 452,520 migrants since October. 

As a result, most of the agencies boots on the ground are diverted to the US border with Mexico.

As a result, Canadian officials have begun cracking down on visas for foreigners who might be using it as a backdoor into the US.

Immigration officials in Canada turned away more than 3,700 people per month on average in 2024, according to Reuters.  

Additionally, more visitor visa applications are being rejected.