FBI Director Kash Patel addressed sheriffs from across the United States this week, warning of growing threats at the northern border and calling for urgent cooperation with local law enforcement.
Speaking at the National Sheriff’s Association Conference, Patel said adversarial nations, including China, are working with transnational criminal groups to target the United States from the north, exploiting what he called a critical security gap.
“The Chinese Communist Party is the adversary of our time,” Patel said. “Anyone who denies that is either lying or chasing financial gain.”
He described an emerging alliance between hostile foreign powers and organized crime networks.
“They’re teaming up with cartels, Russia, even North Korea,” Patel said. “Not because they like each other. Just because they hate America.”
While much attention has been placed on the southern border, Patel emphasized the strategic vulnerabilities up north.
“Our northern border is nearly 6,000 miles long. It’s twice the size of the southern border,” he said. “It’s too vast for the federal government alone to monitor.”
Patel cited new data showing that of 330 known or suspected terrorists who entered the U.S. last year, nearly 300 came through the northern border.
“That should raise alarms. It’s not just about illegal crossings. It’s about who’s coming and what they’re carrying.”
Patel laid out a stark new reality: the main pipeline for fentanyl and other deadly drugs has flipped, with traffickers now exploiting the northern border instead of the south.
He said that while the feds are teaming up, it’s not nearly enough. The real key to stopping the flow, he insisted, is getting local sheriffs and tribal law enforcement on board as true partners.
“You are the northern front,” he told the audience. “The government in D.C. cannot cover it alone.”
Patel is banking on Congress to send more help for the northern border in the next budget. But he made it clear that federal dollars don’t replace the cop on the beat, stressing that local officers are the true front line when it comes to stopping drugs, illegal crossings, and potential terrorists.
“You see it before we do,” he said. “We need your eyes, your experience, and your networks.”
Several sheriffs in attendance raised concerns about budget gaps and lack of manpower to address new federal expectations.
Patel did not offer specifics on federal support but acknowledged the concern. “We hear you,” he said. “The goal is to make sure your hands aren’t tied while we try to secure the country.”
No formal policy changes were announced during the session, but Patel said the conversation was ongoing and promised continued engagement with law enforcement leaders across the northern states.
