Swanton Border Patrol Faces Surge: What’s Driving Migrant Crossings?

Migrant crossings at the Swanton Border Patrol Sector have surged, leading to record-breaking numbers and challenges over recent years.

At a Glance

The Swanton Sector faces a dramatic rise in migrant crossings from Canada into the U.S., with record numbers in fiscal year 2024.
Federal policies and enforcement challenges have been identified as factors influencing this increase.
The Biden administration is adjusting policies to manage the growing influx of migrants at the northern border.
Local communities raise concerns about migrant activities while migrant-related crime remains low.

Rising Crossings and Community Impact

In the Swanton Sector, comprising parts of Eastern New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, migrant crossings have increased exponentially, from just 574 in FY2020 to 19,222 by FY2024. This upsurge has raised alarms among local residents, who observe increasing migrant activity on their lands and voice safety concerns. The area recorded more than 15,000 encounters of unauthorized migrant crossings in 2024 alone.

In areas like Vermont, which lacks sufficient legal resources for asylum seekers, this migrant influx poses additional challenges. Migrants often move to larger cities, including Boston and New York City, rather than settling in rural Vermont. Despite these concerns, local authorities note that crime rates connected to migrant crossings have not seen substantial increases.

Federal Policies and Northern Border Enforcement

The surge in crossings is attributed, in part, to human smugglers redirecting traffic due to intensified enforcement at the southern U.S. border. As a result, U.S. Border Patrol has significantly increased its staffing in the Swanton Sector by reallocating agents from other areas. However, this is a temporary measure addressing an ongoing trend, putting pressure on federal resources.

“DHS carefully reviewed its implementation of the Safe Third Country Agreement with Canada and concluded that it could streamline that process at the border without impacting noncitizens’ ability to have access to a full and fair procedure for determining a claim to asylum or equivalent temporary protection,” the department added.

Alongside enforcement, the Biden administration plans to expedite asylum proceedings and cut screening consultation times. Under these new plans, migratory individuals need to have documents ready for screenings, affecting their qualification under the Safe Third Country Agreement with Canada. Critics argue these changes undermine asylum seekers’ due processes and limit their legal support.

Challenges of the Northern Terrain

Swanton Sector’s challenging environment, with mountains and swamps, becomes hazardous during winter as transnational criminal organizations continue to exploit the flow of human traffic for profit without regard for migrant welfare. Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia emphasized the mission’s focus on preserving life amidst rising crossings and difficult terrain.

“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,” said Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia.

Despite the decrease in unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, the northern challenge continues, necessitating increased attention from policymakers mindful of the balance between security and humane treatment of migrants.