Tester to hold meeting in Havre on securing northern border

Sen. Jon Tester will chair a U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee field hearing in Havre on Friday.

The panel will examine the best ways to keep America’s northern border secure.

Tester, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs subcommittee charged with making government more efficient, will open the hearing at 1 p.m. at Montana State University-Northern’s Hensler Auditorium.

U.S. Rep. Steve Daines, R-Mont., a member of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, will also participate.

The hearing, titled “Protecting Our Northern Border: Enhancing Collaboration and Building Local Partnerships,” will feature two panels to discuss how federal, state and local officials can better work together with community, business and tribal leaders to strengthen security and promote trade along Montana’s 545-mile border with Canada.

Panelists include:

• Hill County Sheriff Don Bostrom

• Nathan Burr, Border Patrol, Havre Sector vice president, National Border Patrol Council

• Kumar Kibble, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, special agent in charge

• Christopher Richards, Border Patrol, Havre Sector chief

More panelists are likely to attend the hearing, which is open to the public.