Waste of the Day: Border Security Team Hasn’t Made One Arrest

This story originally was published by Real Clear Wire

By Jeremy Portnoy
Real Clear Wire

Topline: A $1.4 million state task force created to protect the border between New Hampshire and Canada has not encountered a single illegal border crosser this year, according to data obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Key facts: The state has spent $353,425 so far this year on the Northern Alliance Task Force. Almost half of that was for officers working overtime to help the task force after their normal job hours. Over $113,000 was for equipment including two snowmobiles and a Chevy Silverado truck.

Some members of the public opposed the creation of the task force last year because they said New Hampshire’s heavily-forested border is already secure.

There were only 21 apprehensions at the border between October 2022 and December 2023 before the task force existed. The rest of the Swanton Sector, which includes Vermont and part of New York, had 3,652 apprehensions, according to the Boston Globe.

The Northern Alliance Task Force stopped 588 vehicles between December and June, resulting in 37 citations and 16 arrests for things such as driving with a suspended license and driving under the influence — but nothing related to immigration.

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Supporting quote: Republican Gov. Chris Sununu said the lack of border encounters is evidence that the task force is working.

“With the right team and approach, we’ve showed that illegal crossings can be prevented,” Sununu said in a statement. He hopes other states and the Biden-Harris administration “will take note that our success is proof that border security works.”

Critical quote: “Instead of spending time and money on critical issues … like housing, substance use treatment, and mental health resources, legislators in Concord keep investing limited time and taxpayer dollars into a truly nonexistent border issue,” Amanda Azad, policy director at the ACLU of New Hampshire, said in a statement.

Summary: Taxpayer resources should be devoted to the parts of the U.S. facing a legitimate border crisis, not a region that arguably does not need the extra security.

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