Tester calls for enhanced security presence along northern US border

During a Senate Homeland Security Committee Hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) received support from U.S. Border Patrol for enhancing security along the northern U.S. border with Canada.

The hearing comes in the wake of President Trump’s request for 5,000 additional border agents to be stationed along the southern border with Mexico.

The committee heard testimony from the National Border Patrol Council, the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, and the National Treasury Employees Union.

“Everybody’s focus is on the southern border, when in fact the folks who want to do us harm will go to the weakest link,” Tester said. “Montana shares nearly 540 miles of border with Canada and we need to have a plan to keep this country safe from threats regardless of where they are coming from.”

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said that if Border Patrol were to hire 5,000 additional officers for the southern border, 1,500 of those agents should be stationed on the northern border.

At the beginning of the week, Tester sent a letter to Kevin McAleenan, acting commissioner of Customs and Border Patrol, urging a comprehensive and strategic approach to border security and requested information about staffing plans within his department.