WASHINGTON – U.S. border agents apprehended more than 170 foreign nationals on the FBI’s terrorism watch list in fiscal year 2023, but little is publicly known about the outcome of their cases.
Frustrated by the lack of information available about immigrants flagged by the FBI, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the Department of Homeland Security to keep Congress informed of all encounters with immigrants on the watch list in the 12 months ending September 30.
“One of my biggest concerns is when our adversaries are paying more attention to our southern border than Joe Biden,” Marshall told The Post. “As far as I’m concerned, our open borders in the south are the most pressing national security issue we face.”
The aptly named “Where Are the Terrorists Now?” would require the secretary of Homeland Security, the attorney general, and the director of national intelligence to provide reports to Congress on such encounters.
The information reported would include updated counts of individuals with records in the FBI’s “Terrorist Screening Data Set,” the official term for the watch list, who are captured at the border.
Migrants crossing the Rio Grande lined up to be processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on September 23, 2023 in Eagle Pass, Texas. AP Photo/Eric Gay, File
It would also require a description of why each person was on the list, details of “any ties” they have to a terrorist organization, their country of origin and criminal record, as well as how each person arrived at the port of entry where they were detained.
The bill would also require officials to report whether each migrant on the terrorist list was detained, where, and for how long. For those who were released into the country, DHS would have to tell Congress why that decision was made, as well as their current whereabouts.
Reports would be required monthly during the first year the measure would take effect and twice a year thereafter.
Senator Roger Marshall has introduced a bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security to report to Congress about immigrants on the FBI’s terrorist watch list.Michael Brochstein/ZUMA Press Wire
They would also have to be unclassified and available to the public, except in cases where the DHS secretary “determines that the release of such a report…would compromise the national security of the United States.”
Surprising trend
Between October 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023, US Customs and Border Protection recorded 172 encounters with non-US citizens on the FBI watch list attempting to enter the country, nearly all which occurred on the border with Mexico.
“These encounters may include individuals who are not known or suspected terrorists, but may include individuals associated with a known or suspected terrorist, to include family members of individuals on the watch list,” a DHS official told The Post.
While that represents only a small portion (about 0.005%) of the 3,201,144 migrants CBP encountered nationwide over the past 12 months, it is also a nearly doubling increase in the number of potential terrorists seeking entering the country compared to the previous year.
In fiscal year 2022, border agents had 98 encounters with people on the FBI’s terrorist watch list, according to DHS.
The count also continued a disturbing trend of growth in the number of potential terrorists during President Biden’s administration, which began in fiscal 2021 with about 16 encounters.
By comparison, there were 14 encounters with immigrants on the terrorist watch list during former President Donald Trump’s four years in the White House, according to DHS data.
The increase coincides with the increased number of immigrants attempting to enter the United States illegally during the Biden administration. Since fiscal year 2021, agents have detained more than 5.9 million migrants trying to enter the country, just over 1.028 million were captured at the borders between fiscal years 2017 and 2020.
“While the trend of increased migration from South America is a major factor in this increase in encounters, regardless of the cause, DHS is and will always work tirelessly to vet, vet, and prevent anyone who poses a threat from entering. to the country,” he said. a department official told The Post.
Border agents have detained more than 170 foreign nationals on the terrorist watch list in fiscal year 2023. AP Photo/Eric Gay, File
Responsibility
Marshall said it is a deeply disturbing trend, particularly after Israel was taken by surprise by Hamas terrorists who crossed from Gaza and killed more than 1,400 people on October 7, including at least 33 Americans.
“Israel fell asleep at the wheel and underestimated Hamas,” he said. “Let’s not underestimate what these persons of interest, these people on the terrorist list, what they are doing right now.”
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While each case is different, authorities generally identify people on the watch list through “biometric and biographical examinations and investigations,” which are performed on each migrant who attempts to cross the border, the DHS official said.
“If an individual is determined to pose a potential threat to national or public security, in coordination with the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), we deny admission, detain, expel, or refer to other federal agencies.” for further investigation and processing. as appropriate,” the official said.
But Marshall’s legislation would offer more accountability, since he and other lawmakers have so far been unable to learn what, if anything, happened to each migrant discovered on the FBI’s list.
If passed, the legislation may not be an unpleasant development for DHS, as the department says it is “committed to transparency and openness with Congress and the American public regarding this work.”
In fact, this spring the department began publishing monthly updates about encounters with people who have records on the watch list, the official said.
“DHS works with our international partners to share intelligence and other information, including to prevent people on the terrorist watch list from entering the United States,” the official said. “Our multi-layered border security efforts include several screening and investigation processes that work to detect and prevent individuals who pose risks to national security or public security from entering the United States.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn