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Home » News » News » ‘Whiteouts, dangerous cold, and hazardous terrain’: Maine’s Chief Border Patrol Agent Warns Against Illegal Crossings
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‘Whiteouts, dangerous cold, and hazardous terrain’: Maine’s Chief Border Patrol Agent Warns Against Illegal Crossings

Edward TomicBy Edward TomicFebruary 10, 2025Updated:February 10, 20254 Comments2 Mins Read1K Views
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Border patrol cameras captured two adults illegally crossing into the Swanton Sector, which includes New Hampshire and Vermont
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The head of U.S. Border Patrol operations in Maine’s Houlton sector, which covers encompasses the entire state, coastline and U.S.-Canada border, warned against illegal northern border crossings in a statement issued last week, citing harsh and dangerous winter conditions.

[RELATED: Border Patrol Agents in Caswell Arrest 2 Romanian Nationals Who Illegally Crossed US-Canada Border…]

“The winter season poses some serious dangers in the State of Maine,” said Chief Patrol Agent Juan Bernal in a video posted to X on Friday. “For anyone attempting to cross the U.S. border illegally, just be aware that you’re putting yourself in a very dangerous and harsh situation.”

“The State of Maine has heavily forested areas, with mountainous terrain, streams, rivers and lakes, all of which pose very unique concerns,” Bernal said. “Thin ice, blinding wind storms, can make the situation even more dangerous. Sub-zero temperatures can cause hypothermia in a matter of minutes.”

There is a misconception that illegally crossing the northern border of the United States is a safer option. This is not true, especially in winter. Whiteouts, dangerous cold, and hazardous terrain will quickly hamper any journey. pic.twitter.com/n4afa5kXBh

— Juan G. Bernal, Chief Patrol Agent (@USBPChiefHLT) February 7, 2025

“If you’re being by your smuggler that it is safe to enter the country illegally, it’s not true,” he said. “Please consider all of the aforementioned dangers, and don’t do it.”

“We welcome legal immigration, we encourage it, and we would love for you to visit our great nation. But please, do it legally and do it safely,” he added.

Bernal was appointed chief patrol agent of the Houlton Sector in February of last year, after previously serving as the head of the Del Rio Sector 242-mile stretch of the southern U.S.-Mexico border.

[RELATED: Former U.S.-Mexico Border Official Selected as New Chief Patrol Agent of Maine’s Houlton Sector…]

Just last week, Bernal said Border Patrol agents in Caswell had apprehended two Romanian nationals who illegally crossed the northern border into Maine.

Thanks to a tip from a concerned citizen, Border Patrol Agents near Caswell, Maine used a small Unmanned Aerial System to locate and arrest two subjects from Romania, who had recently crossed the border illegally. #IllegalImmigration #BorderSecurity #BorderPatrol pic.twitter.com/DY0Ii5QhUw

— Juan G. Bernal, Chief Patrol Agent (@USBPChiefHLT) February 5, 2025

The Houlton Sector saw a record number of encounters with illegal border crossers in fiscal year 2024 (FY24), with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reporting a total of 344 encounters, up from 300 in FY23, and just over six times the amount of migrant apprehensions in 2021.

[RELATED: Northern Border Migrant Apprehensions in Maine’s Houlton Sector Hit New High in 2024…]

In FY25 to date — October through December 2024 — CBP has reported 70 migrant encounters in the Houlton Sector.

Source: CBP
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Edward Tomic

Edward Tomic is a reporter for The Maine Wire based in Southern Maine. He grew up near Boston, Massachusetts and is a graduate of Boston University. He can be reached at tomic@themainewire.com

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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="35134 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=35134">4 Comments

  1. sandy on February 10, 2025 11:32 AM

    Romania is cold nation with a lot of snow.

  2. Robert M. on February 10, 2025 11:41 AM

    So last year we didn’t get a lot of snow and democrats cried Climate Change .
    What’s the explanation for all the snow THIS year ?
    Climate Change ….LOL

    Go buy another heat pump !

  3. bill in Bangor on February 10, 2025 9:22 PM

    The shooting of the border patrol agent in Vermont by the radical trans odd couple certainly got a good leaving alone by the Legacy Media.

  4. Dr. Ed on February 20, 2025 4:02 AM

    I want to know what the cult of vegan trannies that was involved in shooting the CBP guy in Vermont were really up to. They’re now alleged to have murdered six people nationally.

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