President Trump’s U.S. Border Patrol commander in Chicago, Gregory Bovino, has stated that lakes and rivers are considered borders under U.S. law. Furthermore, the U.S. Border Patrol has the legal authority to operate within 100 miles of our borders.
Lake Michigan, one of the Great Lakes, is surrounded by four states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. It is also connected to Lake Huron. According to Commander Bovino, this legal framework gives him the right to operate in Chicago.
This situation raises an interesting implication: President Trump, during his negotiations with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—(note: the correct name is Justin Trudeau, not Carney)—may have effectively conceded Lake Michigan to Canada. Without such a concession, Chicago is nearly 300 miles from the previously recognized international border with Canada, making border patrol operations there under these rules a curious matter.
Given this perspective, one might wonder when Prime Minister Trudeau will rename Lake Michigan to “Lake Canada.”
https://www.sunjournal.com/2025/10/24/has-trump-made-a-border-blunder-letter/