Republicans on the House Homeland Security Committee have asked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas how immigrants on the federal government’s “terrorist watch list” were released into the United States. We are asking them to explain what is being communicated to them.
In a letter to Mayorkas on Wednesday, committee chairman Mark Green (R-Texas), subcommittee chair Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) and Rep. August Pflueger said: Sen. (R-Texas), along with confidential briefings to Mr. Mayorkas on several reported cases of migrants on terrorist watch lists being released into the interior.
Member of Parliament write:
The first incident involved members of al-Shabaab, a foreign terrorist organization designated by the United States. The foreign national was “caught illegally crossing the southern border near San Ysidro, California, on March 13, 2023,” according to the report. However, he was deemed a “misfit”; It was then released inside. Almost a year later, the Terrorist Inspection Center conducted a “reconsideration” and confirmed that the foreign national was a terrorist member of al-Shabaab, after which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) identified and arrested him. [Emphasis added]
The second case involves a Pakistani man who allegedly entered the United States illegally and is on a terrorist watch list. However, he was arrested by Border Patrol the next day. Less than two weeks later, the Terrorist Testing Center confirmed his inclusion on the “terrorist watch list.” but, ICE eventually released him through an alternative detention program. [Emphasis added]
In addition to these unanswered requests for information, We are currently facing a series of events in the news about aliens allegedly being on terrorist watch lists. They are either arrested at the border or discovered inland. [Emphasis added]
Lawmakers said Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee last month that he was “very concerned” about the possibility of a people-smuggling network linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) into the United States. It was noted that there was a warning.
“The committee is concerned about DHS’ current practices regarding the processing and release of known or suspected terrorists encountered at the Southwest border,” the lawmakers wrote.
Mayorkas is accused of withholding information about migrants caught crossing the border who are suspected on a terrorist watch list.
A lawsuit filed last October by the Center for Immigration Studies alleges that Mayorkas has refused to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests regarding hundreds of immigrants on terrorist watch lists.
More than 300 immigrants on terrorist watch lists have been apprehended after crossing the southern border since President Joe Biden took office.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Please email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
