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Canadian authorities intercepted a U-Haul truck packed with 44 migrants near the Vermont border on Aug. 3, as human smuggling networks grow in sophistication along the United States’ northern frontier.
That case, now under investigation as a suspected human trafficking operation, captures a dangerous shift in smuggling routes as pressure mounts along the southern border.
Immigration attorney and former Connecticut Senate candidate Peter Lumaj, who has practiced immigration law for decades, told Fox News Digital that smugglers are constantly adapting to changes in U.S. enforcement.
“The smugglers are very sophisticated. They are able to read what’s happening in a certain country, whether it’s the United States, Canada, or Mexico,” he said.
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Migrants are seen crossing the northern border. (Customs and Border Protection)
Smuggling along the northern border is not new, but the direction of movement has changed. Lumaj noted that while the flow used to be largely from Canada into the U.S., in recent years there has also been a surge of migrants attempting to cross into Canada from the U.S. to avoid deportation to their home countries.
Migrants are spotted crossing the northern U.S. border. (Customs and Border Protection)
The sanctuary city factor
Another factor complicating enforcement is state and local sanctuary policies. Lumaj pointed to his home state of Connecticut, where officials recently expanded protections for illegal immigrants.
“There are almost 1,200 detainees in Connecticut right now whose holds are not being respected by state leaders,” he said. “That violates federal law and the Constitution’s supremacy clause. When states reward illegal immigration with driver’s licenses, in-state tuition, and sanctuary protections, it entices more migrants to come.”
U.S. Border Patrol agents gather with their specially-trained dogs for a field training session on May 9, 2006, in the mountains north of Colville, Washington. (Photo by Jeff T. Green/Getty Images)
Lumaj warned that such policies not only undermine federal law enforcement but also create “shopping grounds” for migrants seeking the most favorable environments after crossing the border.
“Every state has become a border state,” he said. “When millions come in, they’re going to look for where they get the greatest benefits. The smugglers know this, the traffickers know this, and they’re taking advantage of the chaos.”
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Who is being smuggled?
According to Lumaj, smuggling rings often target single men, typically aged 18 to 35, who can physically endure the treacherous crossings.
“I have personally handled cases where people were abandoned in the middle of nowhere, on the verge of losing their lives, before they stumbled into Border Patrol officers begging for help,” Lumaj said. “Smugglers have no mercy. It’s about money.”
Smuggling groups have tapped into GPS tracking and social media channels to coordinate routes to evade border patrols. As Fox News Digital has previously reported, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have all been used to lure desperate migrants with promises of safe passage.
Migrants cross the northern border between Canada and the United States. (Customs and Border Protection)
The difference between smuggling and trafficking, Lumaj said, is exploitation.
“Usually, people who want to be smuggled into the United States or Canada, they approach the smuggler, whereas traffickers are very good at sort of identifying the person that they want to traffic,” he said.
Lumaj described cases where underage girls were promised jobs as babysitters, au pairs or models, only to end up trapped in coercive sex trafficking rings.
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“As a father, I can identify with that,” he said. “It’s heartbreaking, but yes, it exists, and it is out there. And I don’t think we should have any mercy on these traffickers that are taking advantage of these young girls.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.