On CNN’s “The Lead” broadcast on Tuesday, Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, said there are no known terrorist threats across the southern border. The number of terrorists and suspected terrorists is “actually quite low,” he said. It’s double digits. “Many” of the known terrorists and suspects are Colombian and “may have had ties to any of the local revolutionary groups, including groups no longer designated as terrorists.” He also said that while many improvements need to be made to border security, the border should not be talked about in a way that “increases risk to immigrant communities and within the country.”
Host Jake Tapper said, “So let me start with Ranking Member Himes, because I want to ask you about the border. This is a very thorny issue politically for any president, but what we’re hearing. The statistics are alarming. Is President Biden doing enough to address these specific concerns about terrorists entering the United States?”
Himes replied: “Jake, the answer to that for me is that we need to do more at the border. No country has a border where a lot of people come in and don’t know who they are. And the reality is that the numbers you just quoted, the number of KST (known and suspected terrorists) coming across the southern border that represents a real terrorist threat. I mean the numbers are actually quite small, in the double digits. Many of the people encountered were actually Colombian nationals and had ties to any of the local revolutionary groups, including groups that are not designated as terrorists. Yes, we need better border security, but we also need to talk about borders and immigration in a way that: [don’t] Increases risk to immigrant communities and within the country. ”
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