Illegal entries into Detroit from Windsor saw 'slight increase' this year

There has beena slight increase in the number of people illegally crossing into Detroit from Windsor this year, according to the U.S. Border Protection Agency. which has 460 personnel within the Detroit sector.

Tony Barker, the deputy chief patrol agent for Detroitsays this year so far, at least eight people have been caught trying to make their way into Detroit from Windsor.

That number includes thefive people who allegedly used an active rail line that runs underneath the Detroit River to travel from Windsor into the United States earlier this year.

"We've seen a slight increase but we're working diligently in order to be able to ensure a more cohesive border security environment within our intelligence main frames and then our partnerships as well," he said.

There are 460 U.S. border agents working within the Detroit Sector, and Barker saidthey work with their Canadian counterparts to protect the border.

Five people are accused of illegally crossing into Detroit

6 years ago

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The active rail is located between the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge.

Relying on tips from public

He explainedthere's nearly 1,400 kilometres of border between Detroit and Windsor, and shifting focus on different parts of the border can sometimes push illegal entries into other geographical areas where they may not have as heavy of a presence.

While the border agents are working hard, he said transnational criminal organizations also "work diligently" to smuggle people or illegal goods like narcotics in to the U.S.

"The way that we are so successful is because we work on that binational level to ensure that border security approach and those partnerships with our Canadian partners are critical to that success."

In addition to relying on binational partnership with Canada, Barker explained that agents also rely on the community to be their "eyes and ears" and to call them when "something doesn't seem right" or seems out of place.