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A26 U.S. NEWS
Friday 8 May 2020

U.S. northern border illegal crossings rise; many are Mexicans

By WILSON RING In 2016, Canada lifted its
Associated Press requirement that Mexican
SWANTON, Vt. (AP) — The citizens apply for visas to
number of people appre- enter the country, as part
hended for illegally cross- of efforts to strengthen
ing from Canada into the ties with Mexico. A similar
United States along its change for Romanian citi-
northern border has nearly zens took effect in 2017.
tripled over the past three The Canadian government
years, and a growing por- “monitors its immigration
tion are Mexican citizens, system closely” and takes
according to federal data. seriously the responsibility
One Mexican man who for the shared border with
crossed illegally to work on the U.S., a statement from
a Vermont dairy farm said Immigration, Refugees and
it was easier than trying the Citizenship Canada said.
southern border. “Visa-free travel does not
U.S. Customs and Border guarantee entry into Can-
Protection statistics ob- ada,” it said, noting such
tained by The Associated travel could be suspended
Press after a public records if necessary to preserve the
request provide new detail system’s integrity.
on what was apparent an- Diego said he and four
ecdotally: Along the bor- In this Monday Feb. 10, 2020, photo, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dustin Judd poses near a border adults he didn’t know flew
der from Maine to Wash- marker in Alburgh, Vt. Associated Press to Toronto from Mexico,
ington, 446 of the 1,586 ille- waited days in a motel
gal crossers apprehended This year’s data will likely of Homeland Security at- Diego, said he illegally before traveling overland
in the 2019 fiscal year were look different because of tache in Ottawa said she crossed from Canada in to Montreal, then took a
Mexican, or 28%. That’s up travel impacts from the wasn’t surprised by more 2017 because it was safer taxi to a town near the
from 20 of 558, or just 3.6%, COVID-19 pandemic. Cus- illegal crossings from Can- and cheaper than crossing Quebec-Vermont border.
in 2016. toms and Border Protection ada, though that total re- the southern border. A guide took them to the
The numbers also in- spokesman Michael Mc- mains less than 1% of south- “The person who was go- border and told them that
creased for Romanians — Carthy said there’s been ern border apprehensions. ing to get us across was once they crossed, they
many identified as ethnic “a decline in illegal entries” “Like water at the lowest recommended by a trust- should run across a plowed
Roma — and other nation- since the arrival of the vi- point, migrants will find their ed friend and there was field to someone who’d be
alities, such as Haitians and rus and the border closure, best way in,” said Theresa no risk that we were go- waiting. “They were there
Indians. Those tallies don’t though he didn’t have spe- Brown, now director of im- ing to be cheated,” said and they took us,” he said.
include apprehensions for cific numbers. But they’re migration and cross border Diego, 26, who’s from the “We had the luck.”
reasons other than illegal expected to pick up again policy at the Bipartisan Pol- Mexican state of Tabasco Diego said the trip cost
crossings, such as overstay- as travel resumes. icy Center in Washington. and spoke in Spanish. He about $2,500, and he
ing visas. A former U.S. Department The Vermont farm worker, spoke on condition that his heard the person who ar-
full name not be used be- ranged his passage was
Can COVID-19 survive on my phone? cause he’s in the U.S. with- later arrested and deport-
ed to Mexico.
out authorization.
Diego arrived via the north- In another recent smug-
scientific test shows the ern border’s busiest sector gling case, a Canadian cit-
virus can live on plastic or for apprehensions: a 295- izen born in El Salvador was
stainless steel for two to mile (475 kilometer) stretch extradited to the United
three days. across northern New York, States and charged with
To clean your phone, first Vermont and New Hamp- running a yearslong opera-
turn it off and unplug it shire that had more than tion that crossed people
from cables. Tech com- half the northern border from Canada into Vermont
panies say you'll want to arrests last year, up from and New York.
avoid getting moisture 38% in 2016. An informal The Border Patrol says
inside the phone so don't review of criminal cases smugglers are willing to
put it into cleaning solu- filed against people ap- move around. In Maine
tions or spray it directly. prehended in Vermont — statistically one of the
You can gently use disin- and upstate New York over quietest areas on the bor-
fectant wipes, like Clorox the last two years indicates der — a defendant ap-
wipes, or anything with 70 most were trying to reach prehended in December
percent alcohol to clean areas away from the bor- admitted making six trips to
your device. Phone carrier der, such as New York City. northern Maine in a month
This April 28, 2020, photo shows a smartphone app built for the AT&T recommends wring- The sector’s chief border to transport about 12 peo-
state of Utah displaying coronavirus test sites. ing out disinfectant wipes agent, Robert Garcia, at- ple to New York City.
Associated Press before using them on a tributes its increase in ille- “If that made the hair on
phone. gal crossers to its proximity the back of your neck
Paper towels work, too, if to Toronto and Montreal stand up a little bit, I would
The Associated Press surfaces like phones, key- you spray them with disin- and the U.S. East Coast; in- say it did on mine as well,”
Can COVID-19 survive on boards and tablet com- fectant. Google says you creased focus on security said Jason Schneider, the
my phone? puters is recommended can dip a cloth in soap along the U.S. southern bor- Border Patrol’s acting chief
Yes. That's why a daily by the Centers for Disease and water to clean off der; and changes in Cana- patrol agent for the sector
wipe down of "high-touch" Control and Prevention. A your phone.q
dian entry requirements. that includes all of Maine.q