On Monday’s CNN broadcast of “OutFront,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, responded to reports of the arrest of eight foreigners suspected of ties to ISIS who had crossed the border, saying, “Terrorists crossing the border are a danger. Our Republican friends like to emphasize this danger, even though we have not had a single fatality in the last 30 years from a terrorist attack committed by an illegal alien,” and said it is extremely foolish for terrorists like these individuals to seek asylum.
“Eight Tajiks with suspected ties to ISIS have been arrested in multiple U.S. cities. They all entered the country across the southern border. Former CIA director Leon Panetta has said this is a wake-up call for 9/11. Is that how you see it in your briefings, or not?” host Erin Burnett asked.
“That’s certainly true. I mean, people use a lot of big words. Before 9/11, there were a lot of barriers to sharing information. We weren’t focused on what we should have been focused on. That’s not true anymore. That doesn’t mean we’re not at risk. And I think, again, there’s a lot of big words out there. At the end of the day, we arrested a Tajik with ties to ISIS, and we haven’t had a major terrorist attack in this country in a very, very long time. So I think we’re at a point where we’re not at a point where we’re … [guard] Of course not, and it is a concern that there are people in the country whose identities are unknown.”
Barnett then interjected, asking: “But are you concerned that there are more people coming across our southern border, more people looking to do harm to the United States?”
Hymes responded: “Well, I mean, these people came here seeking asylum, right? If they’re terrorists, [do] Because we’re going to take your picture, we’re going to search you, etc. So, of course, it’s a danger. This is a danger that our Republican friends like to highlight, even though we haven’t had one fatality from a terrorist attack perpetrated by an illegal alien in the last 30 years. That doesn’t mean we’re not concerned. But again, we have to put this in the proper perspective.”
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