(Washington) Members of Congress are increasingly concerned about what they call a shortage of US customs officers at the Canadian border.
New York State Democrat Brian Higgins says U.S. Customs and Border Protection workers are being temporarily reassigned to tighten the border with Mexico.
Mr. Higgins, who represents in the House the district of the state comprising Buffalo and Niagara Falls, near the Canadian border, believes that as a result, the busy ports of entry along the Canada-US border are experiencing more long delays, with unmanned gates.
Yet, he says, cross-border traffic between Ontario and New York state is still only about 85% of what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Republican lawmakers are also worried, and several wrote to Customs and Border Protection last month for details on staffing levels, fearing illegal crossings were on the rise.
A spokesman for Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale said the Customs Service has yet to respond to their request for information.