Former Border Chief: Vetting Process for Illegal Immigrants Lacks Critical Information
In a recent hearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, former Chief of Border Patrol Rodney Scott emphasized the limitations of the vetting process used to keep criminals out of the United States. According to Scott, the accuracy of the process heavily relies on the availability of correct information, which is currently lacking for migrants from the majority of countries around the world.
Scott, who served in the U.S. Border Patrol for 29 years before retiring as Chief in 2021, highlighted the global data gap that hampers border protection agents‘ ability to effectively screen illegal immigrants. He explained that the federal government’s access to information is extremely limited, leaving agents with minimal data to work with.
Concerns about illegal immigrants from Mauritania arose when data revealed an increase in apprehensions of individuals on the terror watch list by Border Patrol agents. From 2017 to 2020, 14 individuals on the watch list were encountered. However, from 2021 to 2023, that number skyrocketed to 263, with 149 of those encounters occurring in 2023 alone.
During the hearing, Representative Andy Biggs raised the issue of potential terror connections among individuals not on any list accessible to the United States. He specifically mentioned the influx of illegal migrants from Mauritania in his home state of Arizona, citing a CBP agent’s report of apprehending a group of 250 Mauritanians.
Rodney Scott, the former Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, testified before the House Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement in May 2023. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Scott confirmed that CBP has no access to background information on Mauritania, leaving individuals from that area largely unvetted.
‘Fear-Mongering’
Committee ranking member Pramila Jayapal challenged the narrative of Republican fear-mongering during the hearing. She pointed out that no American citizen has been injured or killed by a terrorist who crossed the southern border without authorization. Jayapal urged the committee to focus on the facts and emphasized the importance of bipartisan immigration reform to address the root causes of illegal immigration.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) in Washington on April 28, 2022. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Committee Chairman Tom McClintock highlighted the Biden administration’s policy changes that have impacted border security. He stated that these changes have opened the borders to millions of illegal immigrants from over 160 countries. McClintock expressed concern over the lack of access to foreign criminal databases, which limits knowledge about the criminal records of the released immigrants.
5.7 Million Illegals
McClintock revealed shocking statistics, indicating that since the Biden administration’s policy shift, 5.7 million illegal aliens have crossed the border, with over 2.6 million being released into the United States. He also mentioned an additional 1.7 million “gotaways” who entered illegally. These numbers surpass the population of New Mexico and West Virginia, respectively.
What concerns were raised about individuals on the terror watch list from Mauritania and their increased apprehensions
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The vetting process for illegal immigrants lacks critical information, according to former Chief of Border Patrol Rodney Scott. In a recent hearing before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Scott highlighted the limitations of the current process and the need for accurate information to effectively screen migrants.
Having served in the U.S. Border Patrol for 29 years before retiring as Chief in 2021, Scott is well acquainted with the challenges faced by border protection agents. He emphasized the global data gap that hampers their ability to identify and prevent the entry of criminals into the United States. Scott explained that the federal government has limited access to information, leaving agents with minimal data to work with.
One concerning issue raised during the hearing was the increase in apprehensions of individuals on the terror watch list from Mauritania. Data showed a significant rise in encounters, from 14 individuals between 2017 and 2020 to 263 individuals between 2021 and 2023, with 149 of those encounters happening in 2023 alone.
Representative Andy Biggs expressed concerns about potential terror connections among individuals not on any accessible lists. He specifically mentioned the influx of illegal migrants from Mauritania in his home state of Arizona, citing a CBP agent’s report of apprehending a group of 250 Mauritanians.
The lack of comprehensive and accurate information poses a significant challenge in the vetting process for illegal immigrants. Without access to critical data, border protection agents struggle to identify and prevent criminals from entering the United States. Addressing this gap and improving the vetting process is crucial in ensuring the safety and security of the nation.
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