By Spencer Lindquist
Two Republican congressmen introduced a resolution calling on the Department of Homeland Security Secretary to enact a plan to secure America’s northern border with Canada, warning of increased concerns of terrorist activity in the wake of Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel.
The resolution from Republicans Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania and Ryan Zinke of Montana, obtained in a report from the Daily Caller, specifically highlights “the influx of known or suspected terrorists through America’s northern border as a threat to national security” and calls on Secretary Mayorkas “implement a plan to better secure our northern border.”
The resolution points out that “in fiscal year 2023, the number of known or suspected terrorists encountered along our northern border has increased by 38 percent from fiscal year 2022, and 685 percent from fiscal year 2021.”
“The majority of suspected terrorists caught this year have crossed between the U.S. and Canada, which is the longest continuous border between two countries in the entire world,” Kelly remarked.
Overall encounters at the northern border have increased dramatically since President Biden took office, the resolution goes on to note, saying “the number of encounters along our northern border has risen from 997 monthly encounters to 19,835 encounters in August 2023, a 1,889-percent increase.” But while encounters have spiked dramatically, “staffing on our northern border has remained stagnant since fiscal year 2009.”