Tester Calls for Strengthening Patrols on the Northern Border

Senator Secures Support from Border Patrol Agents to Increase Security on Northern Border

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured support from Border Patrol agents during a Homeland Security Committee hearing about boosting security on America’s northern border.

Tester questioned officials 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 following the hearing. “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.”

The hearing follows the President’s executive order calling for the hiring of an additional 5,000 U.S. Border Patrol agents along the southern border.

Tester asked the agents about where this manpower was needed most.

“If we hire 5,000 new agents we must at least put 1,500 of those agents on the northern border,” Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council said.

Yesterday, Tester sent a letter to Customs and Border Patrol Acting Commissioner Kevin McAleenan urging him to take a comprehensive and strategic approach to border security and requesting more information about staffing plans at Customs and Border Protection.