Gillibrand introduces bill to strengthen northern border security

Unauthorized crossings up in past two years

Press Release, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on Wednesday held a virtual press conference on the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act, bipartisan legislation that would update and strengthen security at the northern border.

The legislation comes following a significant increase in unauthorized crossings in the last two years, which has placed serious strain on state resources. Additionally, a number of migrants have died while attempting to cross the border in winter.

“Customs and Border Protection agents along our northern border are struggling to address a dramatic increase in the number of unauthorized border crossings,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This bill is a commonsense, bipartisan measure to give federal law enforcement and congressional leaders more data and strategic direction to address the situation. I look forward to getting it passed.”

The number of migrant encounters at the northern border has roughly doubled over the past year. Officials reported more than 190,000 encounters in 2023, and apprehensions of migrants crossing illegally from Canada jumped 241% from 2022 to 2023. Gillibrand’s bill would help ensure that Customs and Border Protection has the data and insights necessary to address the increasing apprehensions along the northern border and combat illegal drug and weapons trafficking.

Specifically, the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act would:

• Require a Northern Border Threat Analysis to be completed every three years;
• Require that the analysis include an assessment of recent changes in the number and demographics of apprehensions at the northern border;
• Require that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Northern Border Strategy be updated within 90 days of the completion of the threat analysis, and have DHS brief Congress within 30 days.

Senator Gillibrand introduced this bill along with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). It unanimously passed out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.