TAMPA — U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Thursday that human smuggling across the Canada-U.S. border is worsening. She attributed this increase to traffickers shifting their focus northward following the Trump administration's stricter measures at the southern border with Mexico. "The northern border, it always has been, but it’s gotten much worse, much more prevalent because … it’s a multibillion-dollar business, the smuggling of drugs, guns and humans," Bondi stated during a news conference in Tampa, Florida.

Bondi revealed that the Joint Task Force Alpha, a multiagency initiative aimed at combating human smuggling, will now extend its operations to include the Canada-U.S. border and maritime borders. Her remarks followed a recent meeting in Washington with Canadian officials, including Justice Minister Sean Fraser and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. They discussed collaborative efforts to enhance border security and combat transnational crime, particularly in light of U.S. tariffs imposed on Canada.

In March, President Trump enacted broad tariffs on Canada, which were later increased to 35 percent in August, citing border security concerns. These tariffs do not apply to goods that meet the origin requirements under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

The Canadian government has responded by investing in border security enhancements, including additional drones, officers, and helicopters. Prime Minister Mark Carney also introduced significant border legislation in June. However, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have not yet commented on Bondi's statements.

While U.S. government data indicates that the volume of people and drugs crossing the Canada-U.S. border is significantly lower than at the southern border, there have been notable instances of human smuggling in recent years. Bondi highlighted a tragic case from 2022, where four members of an Indian family died from exposure while attempting to cross the border. Jagdish Patel, 39, his wife Vaishaliben Patel, 37, their 11-year-old daughter Vihangi, and their three-year-old son Dharmik were found deceased in Manitoba, just meters from the U.S. border.

Bondi also noted that law enforcement in Vermont and New York has reported "unprecedented traffic from illegal aliens." She mentioned that officers in these areas have encountered individuals from 97 different countries, including China, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, and Yemen.

The news conference also addressed the indictment of a Michigan woman, Norma Linda Lozano, who was charged with smuggling individuals, including children, from Central America into the U.S. across the Canada border. The indictment alleges that from February to November, Lozano, 53, was part of a smuggling organization that facilitated the illegal entry of migrants from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador. It claims she worked with co-conspirators in Canada to guide migrants across the border on foot and would pick them up once they reached the U.S.

Lozano was arrested on Tuesday. Michael Drescher, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Vermont, emphasized the dangers faced by those exploited by smugglers. "On the northern border, such illegal crossings frequently involve trekking through forests and swamps, in inhospitable and dangerous circumstances," Drescher said.