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New vehicle barriers installed on Houlton sector of Northern border

U.S. Border Patrol officials in Maine say they have installed new vehicle barriers in the Houlton sector, following a 250% increase in cross border vehicle incursions over the last two years.

Juan Bernal, Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol Houlton sector, said vehicle incursions are sometimes used by smugglers as a ploy, to draw resources away from other sections of the border.

"Certain tactics are used as a distraction and if they get us to respond to what we view as a threat, and it opens up other areas where they could then smuggle high value targets," Bernal said.

Bernal said 334 two-foot-tall concrete barriers were installed to halt an emerging trend of vehicle crossings and are not intended to stop illegal foot traffic across the border.

Bernal said illegal vehicle crossings are a concern for the patrol because of the larger quantities of contraband they can carry.

"They can use these vehicles to smuggle either large quantities of illegal aliens or large quantities of drugs, weapons, or some other form of contraband across the border," Bernal said.

He said since the barriers were installed, vehicle incursions are down by more than 90%.

Bernal said the Houlton border patrol has no significant construction plans for additional barriers.

Journalist Madi Smith is Maine Public's Emerging Voices Journalism Fellow this year and is sponsored by support from the Abbagadassett Foundation.