American independent journalist Tayler Hansen has sparked significant online discussion with videos that shed light on an aspect of the illegal immigration issue in the U.S. that, during the Biden administration, received less focus. In particular, he highlights the increasing number of illegal immigrants entering the United States from Canada.
Many of the people Hansen spoke to, specifically Indian nationals, indicated that they see Canada primarily as a pathway to the United States.
It seems not everyone is aware of this situation.
The other border
For the most part, the conversation around immigration has been dominated by the southern border. People are used to seeing footage of migrants crossing over in states like Texas and California. However, while everyone’s eyes were fixed to the south, illegal crossings along the extensive northern border have been increasing as well.
Data from the U.S. Border Patrol reveals that apprehensions along the Canadian border rose from 6,618 in fiscal 2019 to 24,968 in fiscal 2024—a staggering increase of 277%. For example, the Swanton Sector, which spans parts of New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, reported over 19,000 apprehensions in 2024, a rise from just 1,563 five years prior.
According to officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), many foreign nationals without valid entry documents are first traveling to Canada and then attempting to enter the U.S. illegally.
Hansen aims to reveal precisely how these crossings occur.
Major export
He humorously refers to illegal immigrants as Canada’s latest major export to the United States.
“Canada’s largest export is no longer oil because that trade has been diminished over the years, and what they actually seem to be doing is sending all their illegal immigrants here, realizing they mishandled their visa system,” he quipped.
Previously, Hansen reported in-depth on the southern border during the Biden administration. This time, his journey took him through Canada, where he explored smuggling networks and built trust with individuals willing to help migrants cross the border illegally.
The vast geography presents challenges for enforcement. The U.S. and Canada share nearly 4,000 miles of land and maritime border, much of which is far from official entry points.
“There really isn’t significant border infrastructure in Canada,” Hansen commented. “You can just walk across, and suddenly you’re in America.”
He recounted conversations with multiple Indian nationals who viewed Canada not as a final stop but rather a means to reach the United States.
Goin’ south
This trend isn’t just hearsay. CBP officials have communicated to federal investigators that the marked increase in apprehensions at the northern border in 2023 and 2024 was, in part, due to foreign nationals who could legally travel to Canada but lacked the proper documents to enter the U.S.
Hansen contends that human-smuggling networks along the northern border have adopted tactics from the drug cartels he previously observed in the southern U.S.
“They essentially replicate the cartels’ strategies from the southern border,” he explained. “Now, they’re applying them on our northern border.”
Following the peak in apprehensions in 2024, reports indicate that Border Patrol apprehensions have significantly decreased, remaining lower through April 2026, according to the GAO.
However, that reduction does not diminish the alarming nature of Hansen’s findings.
In his documentary, he made contact with a human smuggler and unraveled how the operation functioned. It’s a complex, decentralized network spanning three countries, involving facilitators in India, smugglers in Canada, and accomplices waiting in the U.S. to assist migrants post-crossing.
“It’s a three-step operation,” Hansen elaborated. “You’ve got someone in India, multiple smugglers on the ground in Canada, and then more smugglers in the U.S. who take you to a safe house or to wherever you’re going to stay temporarily, providing vehicles and everything you need.”
One smuggler quoted Hansen a steep price of $10,000 to cross over.
When Hansen confronted certain individuals involved in this network, one provided a striking justification. “We’re not smuggling,” he stated. “We’re just assisting individuals who have issues here in Canada.”
Hansen was not convinced by that explanation. “They know full well what they’re doing,” he remarked.
Operating with impunity
Hansen also reported that members of one smuggling group, even when they became aware of leaks related to their routes, assured him that their operations continued unabated.
Interestingly, the smugglers he encountered were predominantly Sikhs, but they facilitated the movement of both Sikhs and Hindus.
“There’s no discrimination; as long as you’re Indian, they want to help you get across,” he noted.
This situation has further implications for Canada, which has a large population of temporary visa holders. Statistics show that over 2.1 million temporary visas and permits expired in 2025, with nearly 1.9 million more set to expire in 2026. While these numbers include individuals from multiple nationalities, a considerable portion of them are Indian nationals.
It’s worth noting that having an expired permit does not necessarily indicate that someone is illegally staying in Canada; temporary residents can extend or adjust their status, obtain permanent residency, or leave the country. However, Canadian authorities are working to reduce the number of temporary residents after years of rapid growth.
Stop the madness
Hansen believes that stricter enforcement in Canada might push people without legal permissions to choose the U.S. instead of returning home.
“What do you think will happen if Canada starts to actively enforce expired visas and deport people?” he asked. “These individuals would prefer not to return to India.”
Although northern border apprehensions have significantly decreased since their heights during the Biden administration, the smuggling networks Hansen has documented—complete with fixers openly marketing their routes, drivers transporting migrants, and accomplices on the American side—raise an important question.
If the United States succeeds in tightening entry along the southern border, how much attention is actually being directed to the much longer northern border?
Hansen suggests it’s far from enough.
“What’s happening is sheer madness.”
