The Trump White House should be less concerned with the U.S. border with Mexico and turn its attention to Canada instead.

A report from online news publication the Daily Beast quotes unnamed FBI and Department of Homeland Security officials as saying far more "suspected terrorists" are being encountered at the US - Canada border.

"We are looking in the wrong direction," the story quotes a senior Homeland Security official as saying. "Not to say that Mexico isn't a problem, but the real bad guys aren't coming from there, at least not yet."

The story points to leaked FBI data collected between 2014 and 2016 that showed the number of "suspected terrorists" trying to enter the US from Canada at land border crossings was in some months twice that encountered at the Mexico - US border.

View photos U.S. Border Patrol agents patrol near Jacumba, California on the US - Mexico border. Source: Reuters More

View photos Demonstrator protesting the U.S. Muslim immigration ban flies a flag upside down in front of the U.S. consulate in Toronto on Saturday. Source: AAP More

The data was leaked to Daily Beast reporter Jana Winter, who said the term "suspected terrorist" can be misleading.

"Our watch list system has long been criticized for being way too broad, so it could mean, you are, you know, a terrorist [or] you have the same name as someone who is being investigated," Daily Beast reporter Jana Winter stated.





"You could be associated with a certain group from a certain country It really covers the gamut."

While focus is on south, criminals head north

"I think most shocking (is) that some of the law enforcement officials — and also congressmen and senators who live and work in border states had no idea that these numbers existed. The US is so busy focusing on Mexico," Ms Winter added.

But when asked, she deemed "ridiculous" any suggestion that the data was leaked by those opposed to a border wall with Mexico trying to shift the focus to Canada.

"I was given them, frankly, by sources who largely agree that there should be some sort of border wall … but who think both sides need to be looked at," Winter said.

"Plus, the more that you're on TV talking about the southern border as the only threat as one of my sources pointed out if you were a terrorist trying to get into the country, and you weren't incredibly stupid, you would probably go to the border that isn't the focus of every single conversation."

View photos The Canadian government dismissed claims that Trump's administration should be focused on their border. Source: Reuters More

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