FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — Editor's note: The video attached to this story was published Nov. 28, 2023.
Three people have been arrested during an apparent attempt to illegally cross the U.S. border with Canada into Fort Fairfield, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The U.S. Border Patrol Houlton Sector said Wednesday in a post on Facebook that three Chinese citizens were apprehended by agents overnight. Agents from the Fort Fairfield Border Patrol Station reportedly observed what was described as "suspicious activity along the border" during the dark overnight hours and upon investigation spotted the individuals.
A driver from New York, who was identified in the post as a Chinese citizen already in immigration proceedings, was also arrested and accused of "attempting to further the illegal entry."
CBP data indicate a recent rise in encounters at the Houlton Sector.
The agency reports 66 encounters in the 2021 calendar year, 321 encounters in 2022, and 372 encounters in 2023, according to a data showing encounters documented by the Houlton Sector from October 2020 through January 2024.
Twenty-three encounters were reported in January 2024, and the highest month of reported encounters during that span was 53 in October 2023.
The Houlton Sector's service area spans the entire state of Maine and comprises stations in Calais, Fort Fairfield, Houlton, Jackman, Rangeley, and Van Buren, according to its website.
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