By BETHANY BLANKLEY | THE CENTER SQUARE
The busiest northern U.S. border area, called the Swanton Sector, saw a 550% increase in apprehensions in one fiscal year, according to new data.
Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert Garcia, who oversees the Swanton Sector, said Border Patrol agents saw “an astonishing 550% increase compared to last year by recording 6,925 apprehensions from 79 different countries between 10/01/2022 to 9/30/2023.”
This is consistent with data first reported by The Center Square of Swanton Sector Border Patrol agents apprehending more than 6,700 people from 76 countries and reporting at least 3,745 gotaways in fiscal 2023.
Gotaways is the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection term to define foreign nationals who illegally enter the U.S. and don’t turn back to Canada or Mexico. They illegally enter between ports of entry and seek to evade capture. Those in law enforcement have no idea how many there are in the U.S., or who or where they are. According to data previously published by The Center Square, they total an estimated 1.7 million since January 2021.
In a social media post, Garcia said the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals illegally entering his sector from Canada were primarily Mexican nationals (49%). The next greatest number of people came from countries from all over the world (18%), followed by Indians (14%), Venezuelans (10%), Haitians (5%), and Romanians (4%).
The majority coming through, as is the case nationwide, are single, military age men. The ones captured in person or on camera are mostly wearing camouflage, hoodies, and masks to hide their identity as they run through wooded forest to evade capture.
Garcia has long praised the relationship Border Patrol agents have with local residents, who he says have been instrumental in identifying suspicious activity.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend, residents in multiple communities reported suspicious activity, “which aided Swanton Sector agents in apprehending 71 subjects and confirming four illegal vehicle incursions,” he said, near ports of entry. These are record high numbers for a holiday weekend, according to Border Patrol data.
“If you see something, say something,” Garcia said. “Report suspicious border activity in Swanton Sector: 1-800-689-3362.”
