NORTHERN BORDER SECURITY

Mark has been a strong advocate for increased resources to better protect Minnesota's northern border. Since 2005, Congress has funded an additional 2,000 border patrol agents, but not a single agent has been specifically directed to the northern border.

The U.S.-Canada border, which stretches across 18 states, is currently protected by 954 agents — with only 250 guarding the border at any one time. By contrast, our country's southern border has approximately 10,000 agents. Mark recently toured both the northern and southern borders to get a firsthand look at the challenges confronting local, state, and federal authorities in protecting those borders from illegal trafficking of people and drugs, as well as other criminal activities.

In September, Mark secured additional funding in the 2007 Homeland Security spending bill to add 148 border patrol agents to the northern border, an increase of 15 percent.

To learn more about Mark's efforts to strengthen security at our northern border, please take a look at some recent news on the issue:

» 9/29/06- Dayton Floor Statement on Border Fencing

» 9/29/06-  Dayton: Northern Border to Receive More Border Patrol Agents

» 9/12/06-  YOUR DAYTON'S ACCOUNT: Homeland Security Along Our Northern Border

» 9/12/06- Dayton Pushes DHS Secretary to Improve Northern Border Security

» 8/31/06- Dayton Wraps Up Northern Border Security Tour

» 8/21/06- Dayton Kicks Off Northern Border Security Tour

» 7/13/06- Senate Passes Dayton Measure to Add 236 More Patrol Agents