History and Background
The border shared by the United States and Canada has long been more a symbol of political demarcation than a barrier. Since the westward exploration and expansion of the 18th century, a free and amicable social, cultural and economic exchange has characterized life along the northwestern border. The Peace Arch Monument, serving as a gateway at one of the northwest’s busiest land border crossings, is a reflection of such a relationship. Constructed between 1919 and 1921, the Peace Arch Monument stands welcoming all who come before her, silently reminding us that we are all "Children of a Common Mother" and "Brethren Dwelling in Unity." However, changes in immigration legislation during the late 19th and early 20th centuries contributed to an increased exploitation of our Nation’s laws. Increases in the smuggling of contraband and human cargo prompted the establishment of what has now become the Blaine Border Patrol Sector.

As a reaction to increased Immigration legislation during the first two decades of the 1900’s, the first Border Patrol Sector Headquarters in the Pacific Northwest opened in Lynden, Washington July 27, 1924. Housed in leased offices above the First National Bank, the Headquarters was later relocated to the Zevenbergen Farm at the corner of Main Street and Double Ditch Road. The first Chief Patrol Inspector assigned to the Sector was Arthur E. Trelford. Chief Trelford once stated that "the work (in Lynden) is similar to that of the famous Northwest Mounted Police, requiring men who are able to be quick to act in any emergency and rough it if necessary." During the infancy of the Border Patrol, "roughing it" was exactly what the men did. According to Delmar Young, originally assigned to Lynden in 1926, many of the duties performed by himself and other Patrol Inspectors were self taught. "I was all by myself, didn’t know what an alien was, didn’t go to school…we schooled ourselves." Communications were scarce and, according to many old Patrol Inspectors, they never worked alone at night. However, despite a lack of training and equipment, records show that 2,061 persons were apprehended and property valued at $57,000 was seized during the first year of Border Patrol operations in the area.

An article featured in the Bellingham Herald dated Thursday, August 1924, explained how the new U.S. Immigration Law affected other nations. Countries, such as Great Britain, were desperately attempting to emigrate thousands of their agricultural workers to the U.S. in order to provide an outlet for their surplus populations. Because of the quota requirements of the Labor Appropriations Act of 1924, thousands of these workers were instead transported to Canada. In the same paper, an article written on Monday, July 28, 1924, cautioned that restrictions placed on immigrants would result in a "building up in Canada an army of aliens whose chances of entry are nil—and as a result I anticipate that the border running will be greatly increased in the near future." Additionally, Prohibition caused increases in rum-running as well as the smuggling of Chinese and opium. During April 1925, in only a few days, officers from the Lynden Sector seized three automobiles, 155 quarts of assorted liquors, 482 pints of Canadian beer and 12 cases of Scotch whiskey.

With the on-set of the Great Depression of 1929, the United States faced wide spread unemployment. Illegal immigrants from Mexico, who had made their way to the Pacific Northwest as agricultural workers, were now forced to return to their homeland. At the same time, the Volstead Act of 1933 repealed America’s stringent laws outlawing alcohol. Consequently, Patrol Inspectors saw a decrease in the number apprehensions of migrant farm workers and large scale liquor violations.

In September of 1948, the Sector Headquarters was moved from Lynden to the old Pacific Highway Port of Entry building in Blaine, Washington. This move resulted in the closing of the Custer Border Patrol Station. About this time, the Nooksack Valley, Maple Falls and Acme Border Patrol Stations were combined with the Sumas Station. The closure of the Everett, Aberdeen and Seattle Stations soon followed. February 19, 1966, the Blaine Sector Headquarters was moved to its own building located at 1590 H Street, Blaine, Washington. Today, the Blaine Sector Headquarters is a newly constructed 21,000 square foot structure located blocks from its former location. The building houses sector staff, support personnel, Prosecutions Officer, Training Department and communications center. Although the names and locations of the stations have varied, the land border from Blaine, Washington to the Northern Cascades has been continuously patrolled.