Latest news with #USCBP
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Border Patrol dog retires after stopping more than 400 pounds of illegal drugs from entering US
He gave drug dealers a ruff time. A Border Patrol dog named Milan is retiring after an impressive career where he stopped more than 400 pounds of illegal drugs from entering the US. The 8-year-old German Shepherd sniffed out more than 122 pounds of marijuana, 253 pounds of cocaine, 45 pounds of ecstasy and 5 pounds of meth at the ports of Miami during his six-year career. 5 Milan worked for six years with US Customs and Border Protection. 'He's a wild dog,' Michael Schwank, his handler with US Customs and Border Protection, told The Post. 'All he wanted to do was work.' Schwank, who called Milan his work partner, said the duo found contraband on a quasi-daily basis, from small amounts of coke and ecstasy to gallons of drugs filled with liquid coke and meth. 'He worked long days in the hot sun and he did his job very well,' Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, the Long Island-based organization helping to find Milan a new home, told The Post. 'He was a highly respected canine.' 5 Schwank and Milan were partners at USCBP. Milan had to retire from USCBP when he started showing signs of intervertebral disc disease, a common condition in dogs where one or more of the discs between vertebrae in the spine become damaged. Schwank couldn't adopt Milan, he said, because he's got his hands full with two young children at home. 'It was very difficult to say goodbye. if I was in under different circumstances, I would definitely keep him. It choked me up,' he said. 5 Milan routinely sniffed out packages being shipped out of the Miami airport for concealed drugs. Paws of War, who pairs animals with veterans and first responders, is paying for Milan's medical bills, now and in the future. It's trying to find him a home with a current or former canine handler. 'These dogs don't know anything other than work,' said Misseri. 'What he thinks his play is searching for drugs. The person that we want him to wind up with will role play with him. We have a whole kit of what they use when they train, so something will smell like a certain type of drug.' 5 Milan sniffed out more than 400 pounds of illegal drugs at the ports of Miami during his six-year career. Tam Nguyen / NYPost Design Milan's training alone, at the USCBP's Canine Center in El Paso, took two years. 'These dogs sacrifice their entire lives to doing good,' said Misseri. 'I don't think anyone will know the true scale of what he's done in terms of lives saved, by intercepting these dangerous drugs. These dogs can sniff things out that, to this day, we don't have the technology that surpasses their scent.' Customs and Border Protection Officer Program Manager Alexander Hernandez called Schwank and Milan 'an incredible team' and 'laser-focused' on protecting our nation's borders. 5 Milan's foster home recently threw him a birthday party. Border Patrol started using dogs in 1986, amid a surging number of illegal migrants and drugs at the border. Today, the agency has more than 530 enforcement canine teams deployed throughout the country.
India Today
02-07-2025
- Politics
- India Today
10,300 Indian illegal immigrants caught at US border in 2025. That's a 70% dip
There has been a 70% decline in Indians attempting to illegally enter the US between January and May 2025, with 10,382 Indian nationals, primarily from Gujarat, arrested during this period, seeking to enter the United States. This also included 30 unaccompanied development comes amid tighter border controls and raids on illegal immigrants under President Donald data was released by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP).advertisement This is a substantial decrease from 34,535 arrests between January-May 2024 to 10,382 in the same period in 2025, averaging 69 daily arrests. During the same corresponding period in 2024, the daily arrest average was around 230 under the Joe Biden Donald Trump's return to power, many of these smuggling syndicates began scaling back their operations in late 2024, according to a report in The Times of India."The moment it became clear Trump would likely win again, routes started drying up," a source connected to a Gujarat-based human smuggling ring told desire to migrate remains strong, but smugglers have either reduced their activity or increased their fees, and fears of tougher deportation policies are very real, according to the data also reflects a wider drop in border apprehensions across all nationalities – from 81,492 in January down to 28,617 in February – while it remained over 29,000 in the next three months. A total of 590,069 illegal immigrants were caught while entering the US, according to the total of 1,233,959 illegal immigrants were caught during the same corresponding period in OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS FROM INDIAIn fiscal year 2024, US authorities apprehended over 500 unaccompanied Indian minors. Now, under the Trump administration, there's a much tougher stance on "unaccompanied children" left at the border by their of individuals, including those from India, leave their children on the US-Mexico or US-Canada border in the hope that they will be taken in and granted American suggest children are often in the age bracket of 12-17, but sometimes they are younger to an April 2024 report by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), there are an estimated 2.2 lakh (220,000) undocumented Indians living in the US. Since January 2025, more than 332 Indians have been people from India keep trying to enter the US, often via perilous routes. Migrants sometimes take risky sea routes offered by smugglers to bypass heavily fortified land borders. On May 9, a tragic boat accident occurred near Del Mar, California, in which a 14-year-old Indian boy and his 10-year-old sister died off the coast of boats often depart from Mexico's coast, sometimes travelling hundreds of October 2024, the US Coast Guard has tracked 277 vessels suspiciously entering US waters from Mexico in the San Diego area.- Ends
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
70% dip in Indians held at US border since Trump's return
1 2 3 Ahmedabad:The number of Indians caught crossing illegally into the United States in the first five months of 2025 fell dramatically by 70% from last year, following the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency. Yet, even as the route becomes more perilous, 10,382 Indians including at least 30 unaccompanied minors — many from Gujarat — were caught trying to cross the border between Jan and May. The journey is harder, the risks higher, yet the desperation to chase the American dream remains just as fierce. The sharp drop coincides with the Trump administration's renewed crackdown on illegal immigration, which allegedly disrupted long-standing smuggling networks that cater to hopeful migrants from Gujarat. Data released by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) shows a dramatic reversal in border encounters: In early 2024 under the Biden administration, 34,535 Indians had been apprehended during the same five-month stretch. This year, the daily average has dropped to around 69 Indians. Many of these syndicates paused their operations starting late 2024, anticipating Trump's return to power. "The moment it became clear Trump would likely win again, routes started drying up," a source connected to a Gujarat-based human smuggling ring told TOI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Confirmed - This is the deadliest snake in the world Novelodge Undo "People still want to go, but smugglers have either scaled back or raised costs, and the fear of stricter deportation is real." You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad The broader impact is also visible in the USCBP's overall data, which shows that the number of illegal immigrants (across all nationalities) apprehended dropped sharply over the same five-month period. It fell from 81,492 in Jan to 28,617 in Feb, 29,021 in March, 29,218 in April, and 29,502 in May. Yet for many Indians, especially from Gujarat, the dream of a better life across the border remains irresistible, and often fatal. On May 9, a boat carrying illegal migrants capsized near Del Mar, California, killing 14-year-old Prince and 10-year-old Mahi. Their parents, Brijesh and Sangita Patel, survived the wreck with grievous injuries. Officials confirmed that among the 10,382 Indians detained at the border this year, at least 30 were unaccompanied minors who were abandoned by adult companions during the perilous journey. In some cases, agents said, smugglers encouraged families to separate in hopes that minors would be treated more leniently under US immigration rules. The deaths of Prince and Mahi, however, are not isolated. At least nine Indian nationals are confirmed to have died while trying to cross the US border since Jan 2025. These include four individuals from Dingucha in Gandhinagar, another four from a single family in Vasai-Dabhla village of Mehsana, and one man from Kalol. Gujarat, in particular, continues to be one of the main sources of irregular migration from India, said officials, adding: "Over the past decade, networks of agents have established long and risky overland routes through Central America, exploiting gaps in border control and the aspirations of families seeking opportunity abroad." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Doctor's Day 2025 , messages and quotes!
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
70% dip in Indians caught trying to enter US illegally in Jan-May 2025
AHMEDABAD: The number of Indians caught crossing illegally into the US in the first five months of 2025 fell a whopping 70% over the same span last year following Donald Trump's return as President and his take-no-prisoners immigration policies. The number fell from 34,535 in Jan-May 2024 - when President Joe Biden was in office - to 10,382 in the same period of 2025. Yet, the fact that 10,382 Indians risked life and limb to sneak in even as the route becomes more perilous indicates the desperation to chase the American dream remains just as fierce. The count included at least 30 unaccompanied minors, many from Gujarat. The numbers have been released by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP). The sharp drop coincides with the Trump administration's renewed crackdown on illegal immigration, which allegedly disrupted long-standing smuggling networks that cater to hopeful migrants from Gujarat. Anticipating Trump's return, many syndicates paused ops from late 2024 US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) data shows a dramatic reversal in border encounters, with daily arrests of Indians dropping to around 69 from 230. Many of these syndicates paused their operations from late 2024, anticipating Trump's return. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She is just 10 years old! She deserves to live a normal life Donate For Health Donate Now Undo "The moment it became clear Trump would likely win again, routes started drying up," a source connected to a Gujarat-based human smuggling ring told TOI. "People still want to go, but smugglers have either scaled back or raised costs, and the fear of stricter deportation is real. " The broader impact is also visible in USCBP's overall data, which show the number of illegal immigrants (across all nationalities) apprehended dropped sharply over the same five-month period of 2025. Such arrests fell from 81,492 in Jan to 28,617 in Feb, 29,021 in March, 29,218 in April, and 29,502 in May. Yet for many Indians, especially from Gujarat, the dream of a better life across the border remains irresistible, and often fatal. On May 9, a boat carrying illegal migrants capsized near Del Mar, California, killing 14-year-old Prince and 10-year-old Mahi. Their parents, Brijesh and Sangita Patel, survived the wreck with grievous injuries. The deaths are not isolated. At least nine people from Gujarat are confirmed to have died while trying to cross the US border since Jan 2025. Of the at least 30 unaccompanied minors caught this year, agents said some were probably abandoned by adult companions during the perilous journey. In some cases, smugglers encouraged families to separate in hopes that minors would be treated more leniently under US immigration rules. According to officials, Gujarat continues to be one of the main sources of such illegal migration. "Over the past decade, networks of agents have established overland routes through Central America," an official said.
Mint
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Norwegian tourist claims he was held at US Airport over morphed JD Vance photo; officials cite THIS reason
Mads Mikkelsen, a Norwegian tourist, was detained by US Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) at Newark Airport for five hours. He claimed the detention was due to a forged picture of US Vice President JD Vance, according to a report by the BBC. Following the incident, Mikkelsen spoke to a local publication, Nordlys and the BBC, stating that the USCBP agents threatened to impose a $5,000 fine unless he unlocked his phone for inspection. During the search, they found a photoshopped image of JD Vance with a bald head. Mikkelsen told the BBC, 'The agent seemed to be very antagonised by the image. He asked me why I had it saved on my phone. He went on to explain to the agent that it was just a meme, a piece of comedy. The agent responded by saying, it's very clearly a piece of dangerous extremist propaganda.' Speaking to The Daily Star, Mikkelson said, 'They asked direct questions about drug smuggling, terrorist plans and right-wing extremism, completely without reason.' He further added, 'They demanded full information about everyone I was going to meet in the US, including name, address, phone number and what they did for work.' Further, he also stated that he informed the agents about legally consuming cannabis in Germany and New Mexico, following their extensive questioning regarding drug smuggling, terrorism, and extremism. Additionally, he was escorted to a secured room and instructed to surrender his shoes, phone, and backpack. Meanwhile, USCBP in a post on X informed that Mikkelsen was not allowed to enter due to drug use. "Fact Check: FALSE," they posted, "Mads Mikkelsen was not denied entry for any memes or political reasons, it was for his admitted drug use." The Department of Homeland Security has also publicly denied that Mikkelsen was denied entry because of the meme.
