U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed on Thursday that one of two Jordanian nationals who tried to infiltrate a Marine Corps base in Virginia this month had illegally entered the United States across the southern border in April.
In a statement to Fox 5DC, ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) confirmed that a Jordanian national, referred to as “Non-Citizen 2,” had illegally entered the United States less than a month ago.
On April 8, 2024, the United States Border Patrol (USBP) arrested two Jordanian non-citizens near San Ysidro, California, who had illegally entered the United States.
On April 9, 2024, USBP notified Jordanian non-citizen 2 to appear before a Department of Justice (DOJ) immigration judge. Later that same day, USBP released Jordanian non-citizen on bail.
ERO also said another Jordanian national, referred to as “Non-Citizen 1,” entered the country on Sept. 11, 2022, on an F-1 nonimmigrant student visa, but on Jan. 14, 2023, “his Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record was set to ‘Terminated.'”
ERO said:
On May 3, 2024, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, arrested a Jordanian alien on suspicion of trespassing. On the same day, ERO Washington responded to Marine Corps Base Quantico to question the alien. After verifying their immigration status, ERO Washington arrested the two aliens.
ERO said both aliens will remain in ICE ERO custody pending the outcome of their removal proceedings.
“ICE has no information indicating that either foreign national has ties to organizations that pose a threat to public safety or national security,” the statement said.
Statement from ERO Washington spokesman James Covington pic.twitter.com/qcs8MhYe4w
— Allison Papson (@AllisonPapson) May 24, 2024
Local news outlets first reported the break-in on May 10, 2024.
Potomac Local News report The two Jordanian nationals reportedly drove up to the base’s main gate in a box truck “early in the morning” and told security guards they were “contractors for Amazon” making deliveries to the base’s post office.
They did not show any identification and were escorted to a holding area for identification checks. A base spokesman said a guard noticed the driver had ignored direct orders from officers and “continued to move the vehicle beyond the holding area, attempting to enter the base.”
Officers then used roadblocks to stop the vehicle and detained the men.
The media reported that one of the people in the vehicle was “on a US terrorist watch list.”
According to reports, security at the base was subsequently stepped up and mass emails were sent out to base staff urging them to be on high alert.
According to Fox News, Amazon said the individuals do not appear to have been making deliveries on the company’s behalf and that it is investigating the matter.
Republican members of the House Homeland Security Committee have launched an investigation into the incident.
