WA-Canadian Border Becoming Hotspot for Human Trafficking

The US-Canadian border is almost ignored at times, due to all the issues on the southern line between the US and Mexico. But lately it has been a growing issue.

   Human trafficking increasing in WA state

US Customs and Border Patrol officials say it's ignored because of all the problems with Mexico. However according to information reported by Axios, WA state is seeing an increase in traffic and human trafficking.

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According to Axois: 

"In fiscal year 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded 189,402 encounters at the northern border, compared to 109,535 in 2022 and 27,180 in 2021.

• In Washington, encounters reported by Border Patrol sectors and offices in Blaine, Seattle and Spokane were 43,067 in 2023, more than double the 18,482 encounters reported in 2022. In 2021, there were just 6,032.
• As of February 2024, there were 22,726 encounters reported in Washington, per Border Patrol."

US Border Patrol officials say these increases and numbers are "staggering," and represent a real problem. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer told Axios "we need to know who is coming into the country and why they are not a threat." 

Much of the activity is linked to organized smuggling operations, who are sometimes paid by people to get them across. Agents say sometimes people, including children, are stuffed into a the trunk of a vehicle or even dozens into shipping containers or trucks. Often they are dumped in the middle of the night into a forest or heavily wooded area, which is the predominant terrain between the US and Canada.

Authorities say there are humanitarian reasons people are trying to get across, but they say many are being brought here to commit crimes, and increasing numbers of women and children are brought over for sex trafficking purposes.