Yellow cabs wait near US-Canada border to drive migrants to NYC

NEW YORK - At Mountain Mart, an outpost for migrants who illegally crossed the nearby Canadian border, FOX 5 NY spotted a New York City yellow taxi cab.

Officials confirmed that taxi, rideshares and private drivers profit off the five-hour trek from this outpost, 30 miles from the border, to New York City, over 300 miles away. FOX 5 NY also confirmed its medallion traces back to the Big Apple.

READ MORE: Mexican cartels linked to migrant smuggling operations at US-Canada border: RCMP

FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini speaks with a driver near Mountain Mart

Mountain Mart sits within Clinton County in the northeastern corner of New York, where reporter Stephanie Bertini and photojournalist Lenny Torres recently explored the factors and key players behind the surge in illegal crossings at the U.S.-Canada border – and how migrants end their long journeys in NYC.

READ MORE: US-Canada illegal border crossings surge – and those migrants are heading to NYC

From northern border to NYC

One livery driver agreed to share details, as long as he could remain anonymous.

A livery driver, who asked to remain anonymous, speaks with FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini on driving migrants to NYC from the border

He said he's paid $130 to $150 per person. Oftentimes, migrants cross the border in groups.

"Every driver, they park the car here. Everybody knows. Some people, they go by bus," he told Bertini.

A discarded shoe near Mountain Mart in Plattsburgh, New York

Mountain Mart, a gas station in Plattsburgh, is also a stop for charter buses like Trailways, that offer direct trips to Port Authority Bus Terminal. Dirty shoes, discarded after the 30-mile walk, were seen nearby.

Before boarding an NYC-bound Trailways bus, a mother with her children spoke with Bertini. She said, in Spanish, that she traveled from Venezuela and was in search of a better life.

A family, who likely crossed the U.S.-Canada border illegally, boards a bus headed to New York City.

Major Nicholas Leon, a chief deputy with the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, said he was not surprised to learn that an NYC cab was parked near the bus station.

"We're well aware of the yellow cabs. We're aware there is a border operation to pick people up," he said. "There's always money to be made."

A yellow taxi cab from New York City waits at Mountain Mart

Why Clinton County? 

Within this 1,000-square-mile expanse, no walls, fences or major barriers mark the divide between what is Canadian and what is American. Anyone willing to cross illegally can easily hide between trees and tall grasses, navigating the border undetected. It’s "a backdoor" to the United States, according to Thomas Trombley, the town supervisor of Champlain, located two miles from the border.

Concrete barriers in Clinton County, New York, mark the U.S.-Canada border

Officials also confirm that many migrants fly to metropolitan hubs like Montreal, and smugglers organize a run to the border. From there, they walk over the rough terrain and into Clinton County, where residents describe near-daily sightings. 

"Very dangerous," a young migrant told Bertini after crossing the U.S.-Canadian border on foot.

People who crossed the U.S.-Canada border walk through Clinton County, New York.

And most importantly, it's a part of the pipeline to New York City, a place that, for many migrants, holds the key to achieving the American dream.

"They have long stretches of border that just don’t have enough people to cover it … The numbers are surging because it’s easy," Leon said.