Northern border sector sees over 19K illegal immigrants caught in FY 24, more than past 17 years combined

More than 19,000 illegal immigrants have been apprehended along one northern border sector over the past year, officials said Wednesday. 

During fiscal year 2024, which ran from Oct. 1, 2023 through Monday, agents at the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector along the U.S.-Canadian border caught illegal immigrants from 97 countries, sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia said. 

The 19,222 migrants caught in the Swanton Sector amounted to more than the past 17 years combined, authorities said. In FY 2020, the agents assigned to the sector apprehended 574 illegal immigrants, followed by 365 the next year.

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The number of apprehensions jumped to 1,065 in FY 2022 and 6,925 in FY 2023, according to Border Patrol data. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Border Patrol and the office of Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, a Republican. 

The Swanton Sector encompasses 24,000 square miles and includes Vermont, as well as Clinton, Essex, Franklin, St. Lawrence and Herkimer counties of New York and Coos, Grafton and Carroll counties of New Hampshire.

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The sector borders the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario.

President Biden’s executive order restricting asylum for most illegal crossings does not apply to the northern border. His administration has come under fire for its immigration policies, particularly security at the southern border with Mexico. 

Data provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week revealed that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sex offenses and homicide convictions were loose on the streets. 

In a statement, ICE took aim at so-called “sanctuary” cities, which refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement in deporting illegal immigrant criminals.