Over the past two weeks, U.S. Border Patrol has stopped at least 10 Canadian fishing boats off the coast of Maine, according to the Canadian press.
The water is considered an international gray zone — both Canada and the U.S. claim the area and the islands in it. The dispute goes back decades, but fishermen from both countries share the water.
Border Patrol agents reportedly told the fishermen they were looking for immigrants who may be trying to enter the country illegally. Canada's foreign ministry said they were investigating two of the incidents.
A fishermen's association told Canadian news outlet CBC the stops have nothing to do with the international gray zone. They're reportedly part of a training exercise, and Border Patrol was stopping everyone, not just Canadians. The U.S. told CBC agents were in the area to "enforce immigration laws."
