Central ND News

The United States and Canada share the longest international border in the world, spanning 5,525 miles with 120 land ports of entry. Last year, northern border communities saw a significant increase in apprehensions, and encounters at the northern border in April increased 1,240% compared to April of 2021. The U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector in New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont experienced 15,000 apprehensions in Fiscal Year 2024, the largest volume ever recorded by this sector. North Dakota experienced 4,444 attempted illegal entries into the state from Canada in Fiscal Year 2023, a significant increase from 548 in Fiscal Year 2021. North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley testified at a House hearing in May and said the number will continue to increase in 2024.

Despite this increase in encounters, a Northern Border Threat Analysis has not been completed since 2017, and the 2018 Northern Border Strategy has not been updated since its completion.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), co-chair of the American-Canadian Economy and Security (ACES) Caucus, joined U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in introducing the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act. This legislation strengthens the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to monitor and manage northern border threats by requiring an annual analysis be completed and the Northern Border Strategy be updated within 90 days of the completed analysis. The annual threat analysis must also include an assessment of changes in apprehensions at the northern border, including sector-level reviews.

This legislation will implement a 2019 U.S. Government Accountability Office recommendation for U.S. Customs and Border Protection to develop performance measures assessing the effectiveness of its programs.

“Over the last four years, our nation has experienced an unprecedented surge in illegal crossings at the U.S.-Canada border,” said Senator Cramer. “Yet, the Northern Border Threat Analysis hasn’t been updated since 2017 and the strategy remains outdated. The escalating crisis at the northern border must be addressed, and we must take action to combat the growing threat our communities face. I joined Senator Hassan in introducing the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act to hold the Biden administration accountable, secure our ports of entry, and protect our communities from rising threats.”

“The threats at our Northern border are constantly evolving, and so too must our strategy to combat these threats,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will strengthen law enforcement’s efforts to stop transnational criminal organizations that are flooding our streets with fentanyl and other deadly drugs. As I continue to hear directly from law enforcement officials at the Northern border in New Hampshire, I will keep working to address their challenges – doing so will help keep both New Hampshire and our country safe, secure, and free.”