GOP Leader Warns Biden’s Border Policies Risk Hamas-style Terrorist Attacks on US.
Threat of Domestic Attacks in the US Higher Than Ever Due to Biden’s Open Border Policies, Says House Committee Chairman
House Committee on Homeland Security (DHS) Chairman Mark Green (R-Tenn.) believes the threat of domestic attacks within the United States “is higher now than it’s ever been” because President Joe Biden’s open border policies have for nearly three years allowed hundreds of known and potential terrorists to enter America.
“Let me put it this way, the threat is higher now than it has ever been,” Mr. Green told The Epoch Times in an exclusive interview. His assessment came amid the fourth day of Israel’s response to the devastating Hamas terrorist attack that has killed nearly 1,000 Israelis, as well as at least 14 Americans.
The Tennessee Republican pointed to the 250 known individuals on terrorist watch lists who have been admitted into the country, as well as the likelihood of many more among the more than 1.7 million “got-aways” U.S. border officials have encountered but were unable to detain. He also worries that the watch lists are not as comprehensive as they have been in the past due to declining U.S. international influence.
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Asked if he thinks the Biden administration is doing what is needed to prevent domestic terrorist attacks similar to those seen in Israel, Mr. Green responded, “Of course not. I mean, the border is wide open. If you turn yourself in and you are not on the list, you are going to be released. The list is built as comprehensively as it can be, but we’re out of the Middle East a lot now, so we’re not getting the kind of human intelligence about who is who, and the lists are not as reliable as they were five years ago.”
As a result, Mr. Green said, “This is a major national security risk at our Southern border, and it’s all Joe Biden’s fault, and [DHS Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas.”
At least 160 individuals identified as known or potential terrorists on the federal government’s watchlist have been encountered between ports of entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) so far in 2023, compared with 98 in 2022 and 16 in 2021, according to DHS.
But more than 500 such individuals have also entered the U.S. through ports of entry, according to Lora Ries, Director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center. Ms. Ries is former DHS Chief of Staff, and she served as Counsel to the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration and Claims. She also worked at the Department of Justice Board of Immigration Appeals.
“And those are just encounters,” Ms. Ries told The Epoch Times. “We have to remember the most important national security threat is from the 1.7 million got-aways, those who have evaded the Border Patrol under Biden because they didn’t want to be finger-printed, because they were either prior aggravated felons, smuggling drugs, gang members or some combination thereof.”
Concern among congressional Republicans about these issues is growing.
“Close to six million migrants have been let into America as the result of the Biden Administration’s open border policy. They have either been encountered, processed, and dispersed using dubious asylum claims, or illegally entered as known and unknown gotaways,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) told The Epoch Times.
“The threat to our national security cannot be overstated, yet President Biden and members of his administration refuse to acknowledge the crisis they have created. We will be dealing with the consequences of this reckless and feckless administration for decades,” he said. Mr. Johnson is the second-ranking Republican member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) told The Epoch Times that recent events in Israel mean “Americans should also be extremely concerned about our own vulnerabilities resulting from President Biden’s open border policies. In 2019, there were zero known encounters with suspected terrorists at the southern border, and this year, there have been 160 and counting. As long as the Biden administration allows this unprecedented pattern to escalate, an attack on our own soil isn’t a matter of if—it’s a matter of when. Securing our border and protecting our homeland is absolutely paramount.”
A spokesman for Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) said the North Carolina freshman “believes that border security is national security. The fact that hundreds of individuals from the terror watch list have been caught trying to illegally cross the border is all the evidence we need to reimplement President Trump’s border policies that worked to keep our country safe.”
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) called the flood of illegal immigrants ”a full-scale INVASION of our country. Everything that is happening at our southern border is a direct result of Joe Biden and Democrats’ disastrous open border policies. We have stopped 151 people on the known terrorist watch list … this is concerning because this is estimated to be only one-fourth of the total number who have crossed the borders. We MUST secure our borders now!”
3) What action have congressional Republicans called on the Biden administration to take in response to the concerns about border security and domestic attacks
Ed into American communities or have just been released outright,” said Congressman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) in a recent statement. “This is an unprecedented national security threat. We know that known and potential terrorists have been encountered at the border, and we know that criminal organizations are exploiting the situation to smuggle drugs and humans into our country.”
These concerns come as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its annual Homeland Threat Assessment for 2024. The report identifies the southern border as a major vulnerability for potential terrorist infiltration and highlights the increased risk due to the open border policies of the Biden administration.
“The current situation at the U.S. border poses a potential vulnerability for terrorist infiltration, given the significant number of individuals crossing the border illegally, the limited capacity of federal resources to adequately screen individuals, and the challenges associated with vetting individuals coming from countries of concern,” the report states.
The report also notes that the decline in U.S. international influence has impacted the quality and reliability of watch lists and intelligence sharing, further putting the country at risk.
The issue of border security and the potential for domestic attacks is a pressing concern for many Americans. A recent poll conducted by The Epoch Times found that 85% of respondents believe that securing the border is a matter of national security.
Many Republicans in Congress are calling on the Biden administration to take immediate action to address this issue and strengthen border security. They are urging the administration to reinstate policies such as the Remain in Mexico policy and the Migrant Protection Protocols, which were implemented by the Trump administration to mitigate the influx of illegal border crossings.
However, the Biden administration has largely dismissed these concerns. In a recent press conference, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas denied that the open border policies are contributing to the threat of domestic attacks.
“The southern border is not the source of the problem,” Mayorkas said. “There are many things that contribute to the national security of the United States, and the southern border is one of them, but it is not the sole source of that challenge.”
Despite the denial from the Biden administration, congressional Republicans remain steadfast in their criticism and push for stronger border security measures.
“The Biden administration’s reckless open border policies are putting American lives at risk,” said Congressman Mark Green. “It is crucial that we take immediate action to secure our borders and ensure the safety and security of the American people.”
As the debate continues, the threat of domestic attacks in the United States remains a significant concern. With the southern border continuing to be a vulnerable point for potential terrorist infiltration, it is crucial that the Biden administration takes swift and decisive action to address this issue and protect the safety and security of the American people.
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