Great Lakes Wire

The continuing border crisis has resulted in a 92% increase in encounters in the Swanton Sector, which includes counties in Vermont, New York and New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency.

 “MAJOR INCREASE!!!" Keith Hoops, chief patrol agent for the agency's Swanton Sector, said on Twitter. "According to recent data, Swanton Sector’s border encounters have INCREASED over 92% from last year. Our #BorderPatrol Agents have worked tirelessly to keep America safe."

Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) voted against an amendment to deport illegal migrants who were caught with an illegal firearm, threatened to use a firearm, committed child abuse or neglect, assault, or driving under the influence. A Five Thirty-Eight tally found that Stabenow votes according to President Joe Biden’s policies 98% of the time.             

According to the agency's data, encounters with migrants nationwide have reached more than two million, already higher than the total for last fiscal year, which was 1,956,519 and ended Sept. 30, 2021. 

A June report from the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations says that the Biden administration has removed many of the policies set in motion by the Trump administration including the migrant protection protocols, asylum cooperative agreements and prompt asylum claim review, which has eased travel restrictions and made Border Patrol’s job more difficult.   

The border crisis has been characterized as a national security crisis as well as a humanitarian crisis. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, 4.9 million migrants have crossed the border illegally since President Biden took office, and 3.4 million have come from the southern border. In July, border Patrol agents saw 199,976 illegal migrants cross, a 325% increase since Trump left office.      

Migrants coming from the southern border are overwhelmingly from Mexico, although CBP data shows an increase in encounters with migrants from Central American countries, such as Honduras, El  Salvador and Guatemala. In August 2020, there were 9,652 encounters with migrants from Honduras, El  Salvador and Guatemala, and in August 2021, there were 91,925 encounters.