In a black bulletproof vest and with a gun holstered on his hip, Tim Thayer smoothly engages the throttles of four 350-horsepower engines, propelling the 18,000-pound U.S. Customs and Border Protection boat into action on the Detroit River. Thayer, a marine interdiction agent, is part of a team responsible for patrolling the waterways that form the Canada-U.S. border in this region.
Operating in the Detroit sector, which covers Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, Thayer faces the unique challenge of securing the entirely water-based border stretching 1,388 kilometers. The geographical peculiarity of Windsor, Ontario, lying south of Detroit, separated by the river and linked by bridges and a tunnel, sees around seven million individuals crossing annually.
Amidst a warm afternoon, Thayer scans the Windsor shoreline, vigilant for any unusual activity. He notes, “When we conduct enforcement patrols on the Detroit River, we encounter movements of people, drugs, and firearms between the U.S. and Canada.”
While the Detroit River was a key route for alcohol smugglers during the Prohibition era, current illegal activities are not as prevalent. However, the high volume of recreational boaters poses a challenge for law enforcement efforts in the region.
Addressing the concerns raised by President Donald Trump, U.S. border officials in the Detroit sector confiscated over 4,200 kilograms of illegal drugs in 2025, including nearly 15 kilograms of fentanyl. Notably, the direction of drug trafficking remains undisclosed in the statistics provided by CBP.
Moreover, firearms are flowing northward, as indicated by recent data showing that a significant percentage of guns recovered in Ontario crimes trace back to the U.S. Kelly Sundberg, a criminology professor, highlights the role of the U.S. as a transit point for drugs entering Canada from Mexico and South America.
Despite political tensions, U.S. border agents emphasize the enduring cooperation with Canadian counterparts. Tim Balkus, the patrol agent in charge of the Detroit sector, affirms the strong partnerships across the border. The scene of an RCMP boat passing by, with the Gordie Howe bridge in the backdrop, symbolizes the complex relationship between the two nations.