At the border, both Canada and the U.S. are turning to technology to keep migrants out
In Derby, Vermont, a striking tower stands tall on a hill, keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding landscape. Equipped with cameras that face north towards Quebec, just a few hundred meters away, this tower is part of a new initiative to increase surveillance along the U.S.-Canadian border. Similar towers have also been erected in other areas near the border, all in response to a rise in irregular border crossings, with many individuals crossing into the U.S. from Canada.
While the deployment of surveillance towers is a new development in the northern border region, they have been a fixture along the U.S.-Mexico border for years. U.S. border patrol has been utilizing surveillance towers, drones, and various other technologies to monitor and deter migrants from crossing the southern border since the mid-2000s. Now, the U.S. is extending these technologies to the northern border, prompting Canada to follow suit by investing in drones, sensors, and its own surveillance towers as part of efforts to strengthen border security and potentially dissuade President Donald Trump from imposing hefty trade tariffs.
However, as these new technologies are being implemented, concerns have been raised by advocates and experts. Petra Molnar, the associate director of York University’s Refugee Lab, has expressed worries about the potential dangers these technologies pose to migrants, the invasion of privacy they may bring, and the substantial financial investment that will be directed towards military contractors.
The increasing use of surveillance technology at the northern border has led to a normalization of these tools, with Canada feeling pressure to align with U.S. demands. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (USBP) has emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance capabilities in remote areas to monitor illegal crossings without deploying a large number of agents on the ground. The USBP intercepted over 21,000 migrants crossing illegally from Canada in the first 10 months of 2024, with the majority of these occurring in the Swanton Sector, encompassing northern New York and Vermont.
Canada’s response to the U.S.’s border security measures includes a $1.3 billion investment over six years to bolster security at the border. Plans include establishing a task force that will provide continuous surveillance between ports of entry, utilizing aerial surveillance, mobile surveillance towers, and artificial intelligence to enhance border policing. However, critics argue that these technologies are costly, ineffective at deterring crossings, and can lead migrants to take more dangerous routes, resulting in higher risks of injury or death.
The deployment of surveillance towers and other high-tech solutions at the northern border raises concerns about the dehumanization of migrants, privacy violations, and the potential for a humanitarian crisis reminiscent of the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border. Critics also question the efficacy of these technologies in truly securing the border and suggest that Canada’s response may be driven more by political pressure than genuine security concerns.
As both the U.S. and Canada ramp up their border security measures, it is crucial to consider the ethical implications of these actions and the long-term impact they may have on migrants, border communities, and the overall border environment. The balance between security and human rights must be carefully weighed to ensure that the use of surveillance technology does not come at the expense of vulnerable populations or fundamental freedoms.
