Hochul blasts move to cut border crossing hours

Democratic New York Gov.Kathy Hochul is blasting the Biden administration for reducing office hours at four northern border crossings amid an ongoing surge of immigration. On Tuesday, U.S.

Customs and Border Protection officials announced that hours will be reduced at 38 sites—including four in New York state—beginning Jan.6 in collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency.

The federal agency said it would allow customs officers to be shifted to other, busier ports of entry.But Hochul said she “opposes” the move and is calling on the Biden administration to boost staffing along the U.S.-Canadian border, which has seen an uptick in illegal crossings over the past year. “While the Biden-Harris Administration has achieved measurable success in enhancing southern border security, New York is experiencing a dramatic increase in irregular crossings along our northern border,” she said in a statement.“We need to expand enforcement at the northern border today and I call on the U.S.

Customs and Border Protection to reverse this decision.”New York has redirected $5 million in federal State Homeland Security Program funding to enhance security efforts along the state’s border with Canada, Hochul said, including by purchasing additional tools to support investigations into transnational criminal organizations. “While these important resources will help keep New Yorkers safe and manage the spike in illegal border crossings, greater federal support is crucial to meet the magnitude of migration we are seeing,” she said.Hochul also criticized Republicans in Congress for failing to pass a bipartisan comprehensive immigration bill earlier this year “that would have given states like New York greater resources to handle the influx of migrants nationwide, and New York can no longer afford to wait for federal lawmakers to act.” New York Republicans, including Rep.Elise Stefanik — whose district shares a border with Canada — have long been ca...