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A few weeks ago, Rebel News captured footage of dozens of people crossing illegally into Quebec from Churubusco, New York. Our trail camera recorded 34 people in just four days — at just a single location along a border that stretches approximately 9,000 kilometres.

It appears that many of the people making the journey are of Haitian descent. This could be because many of them are facing deportation from the United States following the expiry of their Temporary Protected Status.

Since publishing our previous investigation, locals in Churubusco have told us they haven’t noticed any crossings in the area where we had set up our camera. Hunter Robare, a local resident featured in our earlier report, offered to show us other hotspots where crossings occur and helped us set up trail cameras in different locations.

Even after changing locations, our cameras still did not capture any suspicious activity in Churubusco. While investigating the Canadian side of the border, we noticed a large RCMP presence, with multiple vehicles monitoring the area.

At one point, we came across police investigating an incident directly on the border and decided to see what was happening. It appeared the RCMP were looking into a vehicle with its hazard lights on, but they would not provide any information to confirm what was taking place.

In Stanstead, Quebec, near the Vermont state line, 44 illegal migrants were intercepted in the back of a U-Haul van.

Nearby Plattsburgh, we spotted a New York City taxi pulling into a gas station around 10:00 PM. We followed the cab and saw a family of six squeezed into a car built for five passengers — including four children and a trunk full of luggage. The driver and family appeared to be Haitian, speaking to each other in Creole.

Shortly afterward, another taxi pulled up beside the New York City cab. The family got into the new vehicle and drove off. We followed them onto the highway, where they headed straight for the nearby legal port of entry. The family exited the taxi and proceeded to walk toward the border.

Many refugees attempt this method, presenting themselves at legal crossings in hopes of being granted asylum in Canada. It remains unclear whether this particular family was processed or turned back to the United States.

We know that human traffickers are using social media to advertise illegal crossings, with many videos showing people staying in hotels during the process. Rebel News was able to locate two such hotels featured in these videos. The Anchorage Motel, just outside of Plattsburgh, was confirmed by its owner to have been used to house people involved in illegal border crossings from Canada into the United States. H claimed that the illegal activity had ceased, and that he had contacted the U.S. Border Patrol on every occasion. 

We attempted to verify his side of the story with the U.S. Border Patrol. They replied that they could not comment due to privacy and confidentiality policies.

The other hotel Rebel News identified was the La Quinta Inn in Plattsburgh. An employee told us he strongly suspects smugglers have been using the hotel, describing situations where one person would book a room and shortly after, groups of people would arrive and head into the same room. We are unsure if this is still happening or not.

Further west, in Akwesasne, a local told us that large sums of money are being made from trafficking people across the border illegally. It’s become increasingly clear that a business exists behind these illegal crossings.

Check out our previous reports at GuardTheBorder.com. If you value the honest, independent journalism we provide, please consider supporting our work through that same website.