Newport Center family’s game cameras expose border security concerns

NEWPORT CENTER — When Justin LeBlanc’s sons set up game cameras on their family farm in Newport Center, they weren’t looking to document illegal border crossings. But over several nights, that’s exactly what they captured.

The first images were recorded four days ago, just hours after the trail cameras were installed near the intersection of Leadville Road and Lake Road. The following night, a second camera in the same area captured another group, including what appeared to be several men led by a guide wearing a turban.

“The one in the front is their guide,” LeBlanc said. “He’s the one going back and forth with the different groups of people.”

While those individuals weren’t apprehended, Border Patrol agents later detained a separate group in LeBlanc’s driveway around 9 p.m. in a subsequent incident.

Border Patrol responded swiftly to the initial camera footage, LeBlanc noted. “They did a real good job of coming right out and looking at the location and then they had a big meeting with each other to figure out a game plan on what they were going to do to try to catch these guys.”

The activity isn’t isolated. LeBlanc described how a neighbor recently witnessed five people emerge from the woods and quickly enter a waiting vehicle on nearby Leadville Road before speeding away. Reports of suspicious vehicles in the area have become commonplace, with some residents noting cars with out-of-state plates, including New York registrations, frequently appearing in connection with these incidents.

“This is an everyday thing,” LeBlanc said, expressing concern for his family’s safety on their farm, where they produce hay for horses and dairy cows, and regularly hunt and hike. “It’s definitely concerning, and we definitely have an uneasy feeling,” he said. “You can’t really let the kids go alone anymore. It just puts a spin on things that we’re not used to.”

LeBlanc questioned why individuals who had already reached Canada would risk crossing into the United States, noting that Canada provides substantial support for immigrants. “They made it to Canada where they should be all set,” he said. “It seems like a good place for them to settle down.” He expressed particular concern that the groups appeared to consist entirely of men, rather than families seeking asylum. “Since it’s all men, too, it just makes you wonder what’s really going on here.”

The game camera footage has circulated widely on social media, generating thousands of shares and comments from community members.

“A lot of people were unaware that this was going on and some are still in disbelief,” LeBlanc said. “This is not a joke.”