Illegal crossings increasing at U.S.-Canada border despite dangerous, deadly conditions
MINNEAPOLIS -- Last month a man from Haitai froze to death trying to walk across the Canadian border into the United States.
The case is one of a growing number of attempts to enter the country illegally along our northern border. And crossing it may seem easier than at the heavily guarded Mexcian border, and as John Lauritsen reports, it can be deadly.
It is the longest international border in the world, much of it is undefended and desolate, and crossing it is treacherous – even deadly - if you're trying to avoid detection.
"It was over there where the Patel family was found," said David Marcus, a U.S. border patrol agent based in Grand Forks, North Dakota. "The air temperature was around nine below zero. The wind chill was close to 30 below zero. And then the wind was blowing real bad. So it was a ground blizzard essentially. You're not going to survive very long in that."
They were a family of four - from India. The children - just 11 and 3 years old. They flew into Toronto then froze to death trying to illegally walk from Manitoba into Minnesota.
Their deaths haven't deterred others - more are taking the risk.
There are no barriers along the 860 miles of border that the Grand Forks sector patrols. This year they've seen a nearly 500% increase in people trying to cross into the US illegally.
"It's not uncommon to see negative 40 here. And that's negative 40 Fahrenheit," said Chief Anthony Good, U.S. Border Patrol in Grand Forks.
Chief Good runs U.S. Border Patrol Operations from Wisconsin to North Dakota.
"Personally, it breaks my heart, right? I mean, nobody wants to see another human being suffer," said Chief Good.
Illegal crossings are up all along the more than 2,000-mile northern border. In one sector they're up more than 700%. And increasingly, like on the southern border, people are being smuggled by human trafficking rings.
"You know, the smugglers do not care about their lives at all. You know, all they care about is the money. Somebody that might smuggle human beings who are also on their way back, might smuggle guns into Canada or smuggle drugs with these people in the United States," said Chief Good
"They're always going to be people that are going to be willing to risk it all when they have nothing to lose," said Matt Dearth.
Dearth is an attorney representing a man charged with smuggling eight people across the northern border last year.
"They're fleeing persecution. They're fleeing, you know, increased crackdowns on the political system in their countries. There's a lot of drug and gang-related violence. There is ecological disaster. And, you know, the most, the clearest, most safe place that they can go with the best chance of a successful life is going to be in the United States," said Dearth.
Apprehensions here are still a fraction of those on the border with Mexico, but they are growing at a much faster rate. And with winter conditions so unforgiving, any one could be fatal.