U.S. border officials say additional checks of Canada-bound vehicles are here to stay

U.S. border officials told Global News that outbound searches of vehicles heading north into Canada are now the norm and will be happening indefinitely.

Global News was given a behind-the-scenes tour of operations at the Blaine border crossing on Thursday and attended more than five hours of presentations from the port director, agriculture specialist and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

U.S. officials say that while the majority of Canadians heading north are bringing back the usual gas and groceries, on May 1 they stepped up vehicle searches for drug smuggling and human trafficking.

That day, rounds of ammunition were seized from a Nexus traveller.

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When asked why the outbound searches were still happening when the searches have not yielded much, U.S. border officials told Global News it would be negligent not to do them considering drugs flow through the border.

Officials also said border officers are not screening Canadians’ text messages and social media or asking questions about what travellers think of U.S. President Donald Trump, as those are just stories.

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Trump and other top U.S. officials have blamed Canada for the influx of fentanyl into the United States, but officers in Blaine said they typically see MDMA and methamphetamine.

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At the truck crossing earlier this week, Customs and Border Protection seized bags of herbal tea, laced with cocaine.

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Four weeks ago, more than 48 grams of marijuana were concealed in three teddy bears hidden in cargo.

However, data compiled by the Whatcom Council of Governments showed that border crossings have been declining in 2025 compared to 2024.

In May 2024, 213,714 B.C. drivers crossed southbound into the U.S. at all points of entry.

In May 2025, that number dropped to 113,997, a decline of 47 per cent.