According to a report from the House Judiciary Committee, over the past three years, more than 250 migrants on the terrorist watch list entered the U.S. illegally at the southern border. At least 99 of those individuals were later allowed to stay in the country. The report states that many of these migrants came from countries known for having active terrorist groups, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria.
Nationals on the terrorist watch list who crossed the border came from 36 countries, the report said.
In June, eight individuals from Tajikistan were arrested for possible ties to ISIS. Three of them had entered the U.S. using the CBP One app, which is used to schedule border appointments.
Another individual from Uzbekistan, who was on the watch list, was vetted and released by officials. He lived in the U.S. for two years before being arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in April.
An individual from Afghanistan was released into the U.S. by border officials in March 2023. They spent nearly a year living in the country before being arrested by ICE in February. A judge had previously determined that the individual was “not a threat.”
The Judiciary Committee described the entries as an unsettling trend, highlighting issues with both border and court officials missing migrants on the watch list and releasing them. The report cites 27 cases where individuals on the list were granted bond by immigration judges. Four of them were granted asylum.
The report criticizes Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has claimed that illegal aliens are adequately screened and that those posing a threat to national security or public safety are detained. The committee argued that these claims do not reflect the reality of serious flaws in the current border policies.
The committee pointed out issues such as migrants using fake documents to bypass border checks and the “catch and release” system, where people who cross the border seeking asylum are allowed to wait in the U.S.
The report comes as the presidential election approaches in three months, with immigration being a key issue for both campaigns. Republicans are criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris’ record on border policies. However, Democrats are defending her, citing recent executive actions from the Biden administration that have reduced border crossings.
The committee’s report ends by suggesting “the worst could still be yet to come” and drawing a parallel to immigration patterns seen in the years leading up to 9/11.
Straight Arrow News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
