Lawmakers are urging the Biden administration to pay more attention to security threats along the northern border between the United States and Canada. House Republicans, led by Rep. Nick Langworthy, are introducing a new bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct an annual threat assessment of the northern border.
The bill would also mandate DHS to update its northern border enforcement strategy within 90 days of the threat assessment’s release. While the Biden administration has been dealing with a crisis at the southern border, the northern border has also seen an increase in security concerns.
Compared to the southern border, the northern border has significantly fewer Customs and Border Patrol agents, with only 2,019 agents patrolling the northern border in fiscal year 2020. However, the number of encounters at the northern border has more than quadrupled since then, with 9,460 people apprehended in the first seven months of fiscal year 2024.
Rep. Langworthy’s bill has garnered support from 13 co-sponsors, including fellow Republicans from northern border states. They are calling for more transparency from the Biden administration regarding the safety and sovereignty of the nation.
Democrats have accused Republicans of exacerbating the border crisis by rejecting a bipartisan border and immigration policy overhaul earlier this year. The White House criticized Republicans for prioritizing partisan politics over national security.
As the debate over border security continues, it is clear that both the southern and northern borders require attention and resources to address illegal immigration and other security threats. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working to find solutions to protect the nation’s borders and ensure the safety of its communities.