20 Romanians apprehended in 4-vehicle 'border rush' from Canada

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) -- U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a four-vehicle caravan carrying 20 Romanian migrants from Canada into Maine in what authorities called a "coordinated border rush" on Tuesday morning.

Agents caught up with the four vehicles in Hodgdon, Maine, where they apprehended 20 Romanian nationals -- 10 adults and 10 juveniles.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, two of the 20 individuals had ties to transnational criminal organizations. They face expedited removal proceedings.

The others, described by CBP as family units, were taken to the Fort Fairfield Station of the Border Patrol's Houlton Sector.

Acting Patrol Agent in Charge Dennis Harmon said his sector is seeing an increase in migrant apprehensions, noting that there were 53 in October but only 33 total during in the past three Octobers.

In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the sector reported 303 and 300 migrant apprehensions, respectively, and only 57 in 2021, according to CBP data. The 53 migrant apprehensions in October 2023 -- the start of the Fiscal Year 2024 -- make it the busiest month for Houlton agents in three years. Data for November was not immediately available.

"While this increase poses challenges to Border Patrol resources, it does not dissuade the great work done by our dedicated Agents here in Houlton Sector," Harmon said in a statement.