Uptick of illegal border crossings in U.S. from Canada

“Don’t do it. You’re putting your life and your families life at risk,” said David Marcus, U.S. Customs Border Patrol Agent

One year after a family of four from India froze to death while trying to cross the U.S. Manitoba border on foot, American border patrol agents say this tragic incident hasn’t stopped others from trying the same daring journey.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says there has been a drastic uptick recently in the number of people trying to enter North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin illegally from Canada. David Marcus, a U.S. Customs border patrol agent in Pembina, North Dakota says staffing numbers are a factor.

“The number one why is I think it is common knowledge that everybody knows there aren’t as many border patrol agents on the northern border, so in their minds, it may be easier to cross,” said Agent Marcus

Marcus says there are only around 2000 agents patrolling the Canada and the U.S. land border, the largest in the world, spanning a distance of over 8,800 km.

“We’re spread a little thin. Our agents are aware of that, but our agents, they do a phenomenal job. They are vigilant every day they go out, they are patrolling,” he said.

Data from the U.S. agency shows there were over 2,200 encounters and apprehensions on the Canada/U.S. border last year.

At the Pembina crossing in North Dakota, Marcus says they have seen over 70 apprehensions between October and December. A three-month total that almost eclipses the totals between October 2021 and September 2022.

“We could be looking at 300+ for the year if this continues,” he said.

People either try to cross the land border alone, or many attempt the daring entry with their families, including children. One year ago, the bodies of the Patel family, including two children were found frozen near Emerson, Manitoba, just metres from the U.S. border. Investigators say they believe a human smuggling network was behind the families journey to Canada from India, where they were allegedly dropped off near the border in extreme freezing temperatures.

Related:

• RCMP continue to seek information on Patel family a year after death (citynews.ca)
• Year after death of Indian family at U.S. border, those left behind try to move on (citynews.ca)

“Four people lost their lives that day. It was a preventable incident,” said Cpl. Julie Courchaine, Manitoba RCMP.

Police have pieced together a timeline, but there is still missing information. On Jan. 12, 2022, the Patels arrived at Toronto’s Pearson airport from Dubai. They remained in Mississauga for two days, before moving to Welland, Ontario, on Jan. 16. The family arrived in Emerson, MB on Jan. 18th to begin their crossing, a day later, their bodies were discovered near the border.

Manitoba RCMP say there’s a gap from Jan. 16 to Jan. 18 where it remains unclear where the Patels were. Police are still searching for answers.

“We’ve checked airplane, rail, buses, we’ve checked all those things and haven’t been able to locate that they were on or took any of those, so I think we are under the assumption that it was a vehicle, that is the way they got there, but we are looking for information to help us,” said Julie Courchaine

Arrests and charges have been made in India and the US, but no suspects have been arrested in Canada.