Immigration agents stationed along the northern border of the United States apprehended a group of Chinese nationals attempting to enter Maine illegally from Canada.
“Observing suspicious activity along the border, vigilant Fort Fairfield Border Patrol agents arrested three Chinese nationals who were trying to illegally enter the United States under the cover of darkness,” stated the U.S. Border Patrol Houlton sector.
The statement further revealed that a fourth Chinese national, suspected of aiding the group by attempting to smuggle them into the country, was also arrested in close proximity.
Additionally, it noted the apprehension of a New York-based driver, also a Chinese national already undergoing immigration proceedings, suspected of facilitating the illegal entry.
This arrest comes amid a surge in illegal border crossings recorded in counties across New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire in the last quarter. Migrants reportedly cross the Canadian border to evade detection.
Last year, U.S. officials at the northern border logged 191,603 encounters with individuals attempting to enter the United States, marking a 41% increase from 2022. While the majority still opt for legal ports of entry, over 12,200 migrants were apprehended crossing illegally from Canada in 2023, representing a substantial 241% surge from the 3,578 arrested the previous year.