EXCLUSIVE: Nearly 100 undocumented migrants listed on the terror watch list have been allowed entry into the United States during the Biden administration, according to a recent House report. Furthermore, Border Patrol agents have encountered individuals on the watch list representing a variety of countries.
“From fiscal years 2021 to 2023, more than 250 illegal immigrants identified on the terrorist watchlist were apprehended by Border Patrol at the southwest border. Of these, at least 99 have been released into U.S. communities, and at least 34 others remain in DHS custody without having been expelled from the country,” states the report prepared by Republicans from the House Judiciary Committee, which was first revealed by Fox News Digital.
The interim report also indicated that immigration judges granted bond to at least 27 watchlisted migrants who entered unlawfully. Additionally, Border Patrol has encountered tens of thousands of migrants from nations with potential national security threats, including 2,134 from Afghanistan, 33,347 from China, 541 from Iran, 520 from Syria, and 3,104 from Uzbekistan.
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The report was authored by the Republican members of the House Judiciary Committee, led by Rep. Jim Jordan.
(Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“This does not account for the countless potential terrorists who evaded Border Patrol and entered the U.S. as part of nearly 2 million ‘gotaways’ since the onset of the Biden-Harris Administration,” the report highlights.
Additionally, the report cites committee staff interviews in June, indicating that Border Patrol has dealt with watchlisted migrants from 36 different nations, some of which are known for active terror groups. These locations include Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Tajikistan, and Yemen.
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The Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS) features critical data on terrorist identities, initially including only known or suspected terrorists but now expanded to include additional individuals posing a “potential threat to the United States,” such as those linked to watchlisted individuals.
As the crisis at the southern border continues, concerns about potential terrorists have escalated, with record numbers of migrants arriving since the Biden administration’s inception in 2021. Encounters with individuals on the watchlist have surged dramatically, with the committee report indicating an increase of over 3,000% in such encounters.
SAN DIEGO, CA – JUNE 13: Migrants are processed by the U.S. Border Patrol near the Jacumba Hot Springs after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border on June 13, 2024 in San Diego, California.
(Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)
The Biden administration has accused Republicans of failing to provide adequate funding and reforms to address a “broken” immigration system, while Republicans attribute the crisis to the repeal of Trump-era policies by the Democratic administration.
However, officials have cautioned about the potential terrorist threat from individuals crossing the southern border. This concern was underscored as DHS revealed over 400 individuals had been smuggled into the U.S. from Eastern European and Central Asian countries by an ISIS-connected network in recent months.
ICE SOUNDS ALARM ON WHAT MIGRANTS ARE FAILING TO BRING TO BORDER AS FEARS MOUNT AFTER ISIS ARRESTS
This came after eight Tajik nationals with alleged ISIS connections were apprehended in New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. All eight entered the country illegally through the southern border, although no derogatory information was reported during their processing, according to sources who spoke to Fox.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS
The Judiciary Committee report noted that among the eight Tajik nationals, three utilized the CBP One app to schedule appointments before their release, while four were directly encountered by Border Patrol agents.
“While American communities are already experiencing the dire consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration’s immigration policies, the worst may still lie ahead,” asserts the interim report.
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“With growing concerns among national security experts and immigration officials regarding the terrorism risk stemming from the border, it is evident that policymakers must take decisive action to secure the border and curtail the influx of illegal migrants. Yet, the Biden-Harris Administration has continuously neglected the national security crisis instigated by its radical open-borders policy,” the report concludes.
Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
