The Biden Administration instructed the former Chief of the Border Patrol’s San Diego sector not to go public with the increase in Special Interest Aliens, or SIAs, crossing into the United States illegally. According to Retired Chief Aaron Heitke’s testimony before Congress, SIAs are immigrants with significant ties to terrorism. 

Aaron Heitke Chief Patrol Agent (Retired), United States Border Patrol: “I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIAs or mention any of the arrests the administration was trying to convince the public there was no threat at the border.” 

Heike said before the Biden Administration, the San Diego Sector arrested 10-15 SIAs per year. From 2022 on it’s been more than 100 per year. 

The Department of Homeland Security defines SIAs as a non-U.S. person who, based on an analysis of travel patterns, potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests. 

The Department says the term should not be confused, nor used interchangeably with known or suspected terrorists or KSTs. 

Regardless, retired Chief Patrol Agent Heitke said the migrant surge strained resources and led to an increase in the number of known gotaways. 

Aaron Heitke Chief Patrol Agent (Retired), United States Border Patrol: “The Border Patrol saw groups of hundreds and 1000s coming into the United States and turning themselves in these numbers pulled 8090, sometimes 100% of the agents on duty away from the border. Border Patrol zones across Texas, Arizona and California had no agent presence for weeks and months at a time, those who did not want to be caught could simply walk in. We have no idea who and what entered our country over this time,”

Heitke blamed the migrant surge for the increase in Border Patrol agent suicides. Although numbers for the last two years are difficult to find, the New York Post reported there were 14 Border Patrol suicides in 2022, nearly double the number in 2020 and three times the number in 2014. 

Heitke: “border patrol agents are continually forgotten and neglected by the media in this administration, these agents deal with death, women and children that have been raped, abused, trafficked, bought and sold, families that have spent months in terrible conditions, sickness and despair.” 

In 2023 a DHS Inspector General report stated: Intensifying conditions at the southwest border are negatively impacting CBP and ICE employee’s health and morale. It stated: CBP’s and ICE’s current method of managing law enforcement staffing is unsustainable.

It warned of higher turnover and early retirements if nothing is done to improve resource management.