By Bethany Blankley, for The Center Square

Because the U.S., working with Mexico, has practically shut down illegal border crossings at the southwest border, fentanyl trafficking and known or suspected terrorists (KST) are primarily coming through the northern border from Canada, FBI Director Kash Patel says.

The Trump administration in its first few months “has sealed the border,” Patel said, referring to the southwest border, in an interview with Fox News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. “So where’s all the fentanyl coming from still? Where’s the trafficking coming from still? Where are all of the narco traffickers going to keep bringing this stuff into the country? The northern border.”

“Our adversaries have partnered up with the CCP and others, Russia, Iran, on a variety of different criminal enterprises. And … they’re sailing around to Vancouver and coming in by air. The sheer tyranny of distance of the northern border and the lack of cooperation from federal authorities in prior administrations to actually firm up that northern border is what’s causing a continuation of violent crime,” Patel said.

The DOJ is working with state and local law enforcement partners to address the surge of crime but Patel said Canadian authorities have “got to step in …because they’re [Mexican cartels] making it up there and shipping it down here.”

Under the Biden administration, the greatest number of apprehensions of illegal border crossers occurred at the northern border in U.S. history, including the greatest number of Canadian illegal border crossers, The Center Square reported.

The majority of illegal border crossers during the Biden administration were reported in New York, Washington and Vermont, The Center Square reported. The Swanton Sector of the Border Patrol reports that illegal entries are down 95% this March compared to last March.

In addition to arresting human traffickers and violent criminals, U.S. authorities have arrested alleged Islamic terrorists, including an Iranian with terrorist ties living in Canada and a Canadian woman who tried to poison President Donald Trump, The Center Square reported.

Under Trump, federal authorities have been arresting alleged Mexican cartel traffickers operating in and near Seattle, The Center Square reported. Spokane’s police chief also warned the U.S. Senate earlier this year of a spike in fentanyl deaths, The Center Square reported.

The Canadians are “our partner in the north, and say what you want about Mexico, but they helped us seal the southern border. The facts speak for themselves. The border that’s open” is Canada, Patel said.

While the U.S.-Canada border has presented a national security threat for many years, terrorism threats increased under the Biden and Trudeau administrations, The Center Square first reported.

From fiscal years 2021-2024, the greatest number of KSTs were apprehended in U.S. history of 1,903, The Center Square exclusively reported.

The majority, 64%, totaling 1,216, were apprehended at the northern border coming from Canada, according to CBP data. A record 687 KSTs were reported at the southwest border over the same time period, The Center Square reported. Under the Biden administration, Islamic terrorist incidents also increased, The Center Square reported.

As of fiscal year 2025 to date, from Oct. 1, 2024, through April 30, 2025, there were 215 KSTs apprehended at the southwest border and 195 at the northern border. Nearly all were apprehended at ports of entry at both borders, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, last updated May 15.

Fiscal year to date, overall apprehensions at the northern border totaled 57,303, accounting for roughly 10% of the total number of apprehensions nationwide, according to CBP data as of April 30.

In February, President Donald Trump for the first time in U.S. history declared a national emergency at the northern border, also ordering the U.S. military to implement border security measures there, The Center Square reported.

Securing the U.S.-Canada border presents numerous challenges. It spans 14 states that share the longest international border in the world with Canada, totaling 5,525 miles. Unlike the 1,954-mile U.S.-Mexico border, there is no border wall, significantly less technological equipment exists and far fewer agents are stationed there.

Federal reports have pointed to a lack of operational control at the northern border for decades. More recently, Canadian officials expressed alarm after the Trudeau government granted citizenship to a member of ISIS who allegedly plotted a terrorist attack against Canadians, The Center Square reported.

After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack against Israel, antisemitic threats increased against Americans and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and other Republicans, called for increased northern border security because Canadian authorities were issuing visas to Gazans who may be connected to the terrorist organization Hamas.