East Greenbush, N.Y. – In case you missed it, today, Sun Community News reported that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik visited the Champlain Port of Entry and Border Patrol facility to hear directly from Border Patrol Agents about the crisis at the Northern Border and see the impact of the unprecedented surge of illegal crossings at the Swanton Sector due to Joe Biden’s open border policies.
Read the full article below:
Sun Community News: Stefanik blasts border policies after Champlain visit
CHAMPLAIN | On April 3, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik visited the Champlain Port of Entry and Border Patrol facility to hear directly from Border Patrol Agents about the crisis at the Northern Border and see the impact of the unprecedented surge of illegal crossings at the Swanton Sector.
Congresswoman Stefanik met with the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia to discuss the unprecedented number of illegal crossings at the Northern Border. She also met with Acting Area Port Director Todd Bulson to discuss the staff shortage affecting U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) ability to operate effectively and efficiently.
After the visit, Stefanik issued the following statement, which read in full:
“I had the opportunity to see firsthand how our brave Border Patrol agents and CBP officers are working hard to keep our communities safe from the invasion of illegal immigrants flooding into our state because of Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, and Kathy Hochul’s failed Far Left open border policies. The Swanton Sector Border Patrol had more illegal immigrant apprehensions in FY23 than the previous 11 fiscal years combined because of these failed Far Left open border policies. It is abundantly clear that our brave Border Patrol and CBP agents are in desperate need of more resources and support. While Far Left Democrats continue to incentivize this crisis they created, Republicans are fighting to secure our border and ensure our agents and officers have the resources they need to keep us safe.”
National Border Patrol Council Local 2724 President Brandon Budlong said “Congresswoman Stefanik’s steadfast support of our members and national security is greatly appreciated. The crisis at our border isn’t just at the southern border. It’s at the northern border as well.”
In May 2023, Congresswoman Stefanik voted to pass H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, which would increase the number of Border Patrol agents, provide effective border enforcement technology, resume construction of the border wall, strengthen the asylum process, and end the administration’s catch and release policy.
In March, the U.S. Border Patrol Swanton Sector said its northern New York and Vermont coverage area caught an unprecedented number in Fiscal Year 2023- more than the previous 11 years combined. During the first four months of Fiscal Year 2024, Swanton Sector has made twice as many apprehensions than in the early 2023 surge.
