Residents of a small American town just a stone's throw from Quebec are reportedly struggling to feel safe as groups of illegal immigrants roam the forests en route from Canada to the United States.
“The Border Patrol told us, 'Maybe you could put a gun in your backpack,' because nine out of 10 of them are just there for a better life, but there's always the tenth who have a record judge,” lamented Swanton resident Chris Feeley . 52, in an interview with the New York Post on Monday.
In recent years, the problem of illegal migration has reached new levels in the Swanton area, less than 10 minutes' drive from the Quebec border, with residents of the small town of 6,500 encountering immigrants in their forest daily .
Because the border of the Swanton sector would extend for a distance of almost 475 kilometers and would give freedom to those who want to enter the United States from Quebec, after a one-way trip from their country to Montreal or Toronto, according to the American media .
Last year, more than 12,200 people crossed the Canada-United States border illegally – a 240% increase compared to 2022 – with 70% of them crossing through the Swanton sector, according to data from United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). ), reported the NY Post.
For the residents of the area who have installed cameras in the forests or on their land, the frequent passage of migrants leads to greater vigilance, the regular presence of helicopters that vibrate the house and the constant availability of the customs service number.
“I don’t go out alone at night much anymore. It's just scary. They may be good people, but you just don't know their intentions,” 46-year-old resident Kristy Brow, whose surveillance cameras reportedly captured several groups near her home, told the NY Post.
According to American media, the Canada-US border is almost three times longer than that between the USA and Mexico and is significantly less monitored than the southern border.