In a black bulletproof vest and armed with a gun, Tim Thayer starts up a 18,000-pound U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat on the Detroit River, powered by four 350-horsepower engines. Thayer, a marine interdiction agent, is part of a team that monitors the waterways along the Canada-U.S. border in the region.
Assigned to the Detroit sector covering Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, Thayer faces the unique challenge of patrolling the entire 1,388-kilometer water border between the two countries. The geographical setup in this area places Windsor, Ont., south of Detroit, with the two cities connected by a river, two bridges, and a tunnel, facilitating the transit of approximately seven million individuals annually.
During a routine patrol on a warm Wednesday afternoon, Thayer scans the Windsor shoreline, vigilant for any suspicious activities. He highlights the prevalence of people, drugs, and firearms crossing the U.S.-Canada border during enforcement patrols on the Detroit River.
While the Detroit-Windsor corridor was historically notorious for smuggling alcohol into the U.S. during the Prohibition era, today’s challenges mainly revolve around recreational boaters, posing a significant enforcement obstacle due to the high volume of boat traffic.
The U.S. President’s assertions of security threats along the border in 2025, particularly concerning drug trafficking and illegal entry, led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods. Despite these claims, the reality on the ground presents a more nuanced scenario.
In 2025, U.S. border officials in the Detroit sector seized over 4,200 kilograms of illicit drugs, including nearly 15 kilograms of fentanyl. While the direction of drug trafficking remains ambiguous, recent statistics indicate a significant flow of firearms northward from the U.S., with a high percentage of crime guns recovered in Canada traced back to American sources.
Despite the ongoing political tensions, U.S. border agents emphasize the enduring cooperation with their Canadian counterparts, underscoring the strength of their partnerships despite the challenging dynamics between the two countries.