Southbound surges of U.S. agents causing delays, 'disarray' at Canada-U.S. border

A traveller hands documents to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry in Buffalo, N.Y. on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston)

WASHINGTON -

Members of Congress are growing concerned about what they say is a shortage of agents on the southern side of the Canada-U.S. border.

New York Democrat Rep. Brian Higgins says Customs and Border Protection personnel are being temporarily reassigned to help fortify the U.S. border with Mexico.

Higgins says as a result, busy points of entry along the Canada-U.S. border are seeing longer delays and unstaffed kiosks.

He says that's despite the fact that cross-border traffic between Ontario and New York is still only about 85 per cent of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Republicans are also worried and several wrote to CBP last month to request details about staffing levels amid fears that illegal crossings are on the rise.

A spokesman for Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale says the department has yet to respond to the request.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2023.