NH represented on Border Security Alliance as Belknap County sheriff joins board

Belknap County Sheriff Bill Wright is one of the newest faces to join the Border Security Alliance, a national coalition dedicated to safeguarding America’s borders, including that of the Granite State.

The coalition reviews legislation related to border control and security to help move the national conversation forward in a collaborative effort. New Hampshire is now represented in the alliance along with Arizona, California, Maine, Minnesota, Texas and Washington.

Northern and southern border security issues are vastly different — but both exist.

“We have a melting pot of people here. We’re the heart of the Lakes Region. We have everything here,” Wright said in a phone interview. “It’s a very attractive region for illegal immigrants and criminals.”

Just because the Lakes Region doesn’t touch the border doesn’t mean people aren’t coming here, whether through their own choice or not, Wright said.

He posed a scenario: How many of the country’s illegal immigrants were forced here over the Canadian border as part of a human trafficking scheme to repay their debts to drug cartels? Border security is far more than just “coyotes” transporting individuals over the southern border.

That’s part of why the alliance was formed in 2022.

“Our goal is to provide a full picture of the crisis — including lesser-known consequences of open-border policies, such as illicit trade and other cartel activities,” wrote Jobe Dickinson, president of the Border Security Alliance, in an email. “As we look ahead, we recognize the cartels and criminal networks are always looking for new ways to exploit the American people.”

The organization’s overarching mission is to counter the rising threats of smuggling, human trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime exploiting vulnerabilities along U.S. borders and ports of entry. While many in NH don’t pay a second thought to their Canadian counterparts, there are 5,525 miles of Canadian border — the largest international border in existence.

“It’s more about collaborative efforts to have conversations about our borders,” Wright said. “NH has a border with Canada, which is a foreign country. Being part of BSA, it helps us get connected with each other from across the country.”

Joining the organization is one way Wright is reinforcing his commitment to the Belknap community, and protecting residents. He was sought out to join the coalition via a phone call from Washington, D.C., and Wright is glad to be representing NH.

“It takes the national narrative and brings it back to our community, and makes it the best we can, without infringing on rights. We want all this stuff to be fair and equitable, and create an environment of lifestyle here where people do wanna live here. Safety — it’s all about that.”

In a release shared by the BSA about Wright’s appointment, Dickinson underscored the importance of New Hampshire’s border threats.

“For the past few months, our team has traveled the nation learning about the unique border security challenges in states that typically do not make headline news, but the public safety threat is real,” he wrote. “The message from community leaders across the northern and southern border states is clear: we cannot waiver on our commitment to securing our borders and tackling the issues of human trafficking, illicit drugs, and counterfeit goods flooding into our communities.”

For more information on the BSA, visit bsa-us.org.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.