Border Patrol agents in the Swanton Sector, which includes all of Vermont, in the first three months of fiscal 2023 apprehended more foreign nationals entering the country illegally than they did in the past two fiscal years combined, according to sector chief Robert Garcia.

The sector leads the northern border in illicit border crossings, whose agents continue to see a record number of foreign nationals illegally entering upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire after flying to Canada from at least 19 countries.

From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022, Swanton Sector agents saw a 743% increase in apprehensions and encounters compared to the same period last year, Garcia said. Combined apprehensions and encounters in the first three months of fiscal 2023 have already surpassed those of the entire fiscal 2022.

In December, Border Patrol agents apprehended more people than ever before, 441, according to data obtained by The Center Square from a Border Patrol agent. Agents also reported 14 who turned back to Canada and 135 who evaded capture and entered the U.S. illegally. Law enforcement doesn’t know who or where they are.

[Things are going nuts. ~ Beege]