For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
PEMBINA, N.D. — Today, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas concluded a two-day trip to North Dakota where he joined U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp to view U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) operations and meet with first responders and local law enforcement to discuss collaboration on a wide range of homeland security-related priorities.
Earlier today, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas and Senator Heitkamp traveled to the Pembina Port of Entry, where they took an aerial tour of CBP operations, viewed the new Pembina Border Patrol Station scheduled to open this month, and participated in a roundtable discussion with local elected officials and law enforcement on northern border security efforts. During his discussion, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas highlighted the important collaboration between the Department and local officials to secure our Northern border, while facilitating legitimate travel and trade.
Yesterday, Deputy Secretary Mayorkas joined Senator Heitkamp in Larimore, N.D. where he met with local firefighters and representatives from the North Dakota Firefighters Association to discuss strategies for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas thanked them for their continued dedication and service to our Nation. Each year, DHS grants contribute to the recruitment and retention of firefighters across the country and provide funding for the safety, resources, and training of first responders.
Deputy Secretary Mayorkas and Senator Heitkamp also toured the Grand Forks Public Safety Training Center, a collaborative center where first responders gain the skills needed to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate a wide range of threats. Deputy Secretary Mayorkas also met with about 50 students and faculty from the University of North Dakota to discuss their research and work on homeland security-related issues, and with local, state, and federal law enforcement officials to discuss the important efforts to combat human and drug trafficking across the Northern border.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.
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