A contingent of Maine State Representatives, accompanied by Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols, recently visited the Northern Border Port of Entry at the Armstrong-Jackman crossing. The trip was coordinated through the Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Office of Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The tour was conducted at the port by Washington, D.C. liaison Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Port Director Timothy Lacasse, Jackman Port Director Colonel Edwin Cuddy, and Coburn Gore Assistant Port Director Rob Ruddy. The visit included a statistical snapshot of the port, a briefing on operations, a walk-and-talk tour, and a question-and-answer session.
The objective of the tour was to gain a better understanding of how northern border security operations work, how a recently upgraded port operates (the Port at Coburn Gore will be undergoing a $80M-$95M upgrade soon), to assure CBP they have support from State Legislators, and ask what we can do to support them.
Among the representatives attending were Rep. Bob Nutting, a former speaker of the House; Rep. Katrina Smith (R-Palermo), the House minority whip-elect; Rep. Tammy Schmersal-Burgess (R-Mexico); Rep. Gary Drinkwater (R-Milford); Rep. Chad Perkins (R-Dover-Foxcroft); Rep. Jim White (R-Guilford); Rep. Jim Thorne (R-Carmel); Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport); Rep. Randall Greenwood (R-Wales); and myself.
Asked for comment on the trip, Rep. Thorne, said, “I was very impressed with the high degree of professionalism the Customs and Border Protection agents displayed at the Jackman crossing. Our job as legislators is to ensure we are doing all we can to support their mission at the state level. Maine residents are counting on us to succeed in that.”
The port itself is military grade, professional, organized and well equipped. With a staff of 45, Jackman oversees security and operations along 70 miles of border. They co-exist and work closely and efficiently with their Canadian counterparts with the Canadian port being only a few hundred yards away and the Canadian Duty-Free building in sight.
In mid-September, Smith, Paul, and I traveled to McAllen, Texas, to tour the Southern Border. The trip was organized by FAIR – the Federation for American Immigration Reform. The southern border is a stark contrast to the Maine/Canada border: 100-degree heat vs. snow on the ground when we arrived in Jackman. The Rio Grande, the Wall, and machine gun-equipped boats vs. vehicle and cargo scanners, tourists, sightseers, and pulp trucks. Both borders are charged with the responsibility of keeping America safe, and the men and women who shoulder that responsibility take it very seriously.
This year, the Jackman Port has intercepted illegal aliens attempting to cross into Maine, but there have been only a handful. Port Director Cuddy said that, other than the few attempting to come through the port itself, anyone trying to gain entry through the woods will have a very hard time. It’s rough going with thick and unpredictable terrain, ticks, mosquitoes, and wildlife that, while typically not aggressive, can be very intimidating. Although drugs have been intercepted, most were for personal use. Incidents involving large quantities of drugs are the exception, not the norm. The equipment, scanners, interview process, and their professional posture prove to be effective deterrents.
“Border security has been a top domestic issue for the past four years, it’s imperative for national security, public safety and the stability of Maine’s economy. It’s reassuring to know our Northwestern border is secure,” said Rep. Greenwood.
We learned the difference between U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Customs & Border Protection. Customs & Border Protection prevents people from entering the country illegally or bringing anything harmful or illegal into the United States. Border Patrol is the mobile, uniformed law enforcement arm of U.S. Customs & Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for securing U.S. borders between ports of entry. The two are easily distinguishable; Protection uniforms are dark charcoal, while Patrol uniforms are olive drab green.
When asked how the new Trump administration will affect operations, Director Cuddy explained they expect to see little to no change. When they intercept an illegal immigrant, unless they proclaim asylum, they turn them around and send them back. If they claim asylum, they are processed as such. It’s the same process that has endured through a number of presidential administrations.
One of the biggest revelations from the trip included learning about so-called “Flag Poles.” That is, non-Canadian citizens who, because of a quirk in Canadian law, exit Canada and immediately return. The port processes a large number of such non-Canadian citizens who cross into Maine/U.S. with the intent of turning around and going right back to Canada. Because the process involves a brief drive around the U.S. flag display, they refer to them as “flag poles.”
Canada requires anyone who wants to change their immigration status to either go through a long and expensive process or leave the country and return again to be reclassified. It could be a student wanting to change their status from student to a work permit, a visitor wanting to become a resident, or just an asylum seeker. Apparently, there is an aspect of the Canadian immigration process that makes it easier and faster to leave the country and come back to change your status, and nearly 7,000 have done it so far this year.
When asked how we, as legislators, can assist them, the answer was road improvements. Specifically, port officials recommended upgrading State Route 27, which is the roadway to Coburn Gore, and upgrading U.S. Route 201, the highway to the Armstrong-Jackman port. Also, any assistance we can provide to harden the port with additional gates, personnel, or equipment would be helpful. An upgrade of Route 27 may be possible with legislation. A Route 201 upgrade, hardening the port, and increasing personnel and equipment is a federal issue, which I hope they can overcome.
All in all, given how the Biden Administration had turned our nation’s borders into a free for all, it’s comforting to know the Trump Administration and newly appointed “Border Czar” Tom Homan will now be policing and controlling our borders, and that here in Maine our border is being protected by dedicated professionals and patriots.
