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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 10 July 2019

Report: Focus on Mexican border may cost northern resources

By WILSON RING said it agreed with the re-
Associated Press port’s assessments and rec-
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — ommendations. The letter
Plans to reduce staffing said some of the changes
shortages on the U.S. bor- being implemented on
der with Canada could the southern border due to
be hindered because the the president’s 2017 order
focus is on border security would be applied to areas
at the U.S. border with Mex- along the northern border
ico, according to a report beginning this fall.
by the federal Government The Royal Canadian
Accountability Office. Mounted Police, which is
The U.S. Border Patrol, the responsible for border se-
agency responsible for se- curity in Canada, did not
curing the land border with respond Tuesday to an
Canada between ports emailed request for com-
and entry, and the Air and ment.
Marine Operations, which The public report, released
provides aerial surveillance last month, focused on the
and along waterways both nearly 4,000-mile border
said they were experienc- from Maine to the state of
ing shortages of staff and Washington. It did not fo-
equipment that’s needed cus on the U.S.-Canadian
to do their jobs. In this June 25, 2008, file photo, a floating marker indicates the border between the U.S. and border with Alaska.
The Border Patrol said the Canada on Lake Champlain, in Vermont. After the 9/11 terrorist at-
staffing shortage could Associated Press tacks on the United States,
pose a risk to agent safety. in the opening days of lenges identified by CBP to der Patrol and Air and Ma- the government began
The Department of Home- his presidency focuses re- secure the northern border rine Operations needed to boosting security along the
land Security has devel- sources on the U.S. border between ports of entry will do more to measure their northern border, increas-
oped plans to improve with Mexico. The DHS over- be addressed due to com- effectiveness at securing ing the number of agents
staffing levels along the sees Border Patrol and Air peting southwest border the northern border be- and other resources to
northern border, but an and Maine Operations. security priorities,” the GAO tween ports of entry. keep terrorists from getting
executive order signed by “It is unknown whether the report said. In a response contained in into the United States from
President Donald Trump staffing and resource chal- The report also said the Bor- the GAO document, DHS Canada.q

Border numbers drop amid heat, Mexico crackdown

By COLLEEN LONG unaccompanied minors the system. In past months,
Associated Press encountered at the border shortly after reports of in-
WASHINGTON (AP) — had all declined but didn’t creasing numbers, Trump
Homeland Security officials immediately give a break- threatened to shutter the
said Tuesday there was a down. entire border. Last month,
28% drop in the number of The tally includes appre- after he threatened tariffs
migrants encountered by hensions between ports of on Mexico, leaders there
Customs and Border Pro- entry as well as people who agreed to expand Trump’s
tection last month, amid a were deemed “inadmis- program forcing U.S. asy-
crackdown on migrants by sible” by Customs officers. lum seekers to wait over the
Mexico. The decline comes amid border.
There were 104,344 people renewed outcry over Mexican police, soldiers
encountered in June, down squalid conditions for mi- and National Guard forces
from 144,278 the month be- Lucia Ascencio, of Venezuela, carries a suitcase after she and grant children crammed are raiding hotels, buses
fore. her husband and two sons were returned to Nuevo Laredo, into facilities not meant to and trains to round up Cen-
Homeland Security offi- Mexico, as part of the first group of migrants sent back to hold them longer than 72 tral American migrants be-
cials said the numbers of Mexico’s Tamaulipas state under the so-called Remain in hours. Some are kept for fore they can make it to
single adults, families and Mexico program for U.S. asylum seekers, Tuesday, July 9, 2019. weeks because of delays in the border. q
Associated Press