Concerns escalate over terrorists seeking entry at US southern border

Oct 16, 2023

Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

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Suspected terrorists could potentially use the southern border to gain entry into the United States. This concern has escalated in recent days as the Israel-Hamas conflict continues.

During the week of Oct. 15, Fox News reported the apprehension of individuals described as “special interest aliens” from Iran and Lebanon as they tried to cross into the U.S.

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Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) are individuals whose travel patterns may raise national security concerns for the U.S. However, there has been no confirmation of their terrorist status.

Nevertheless, apprehensions of individuals matching the U.S. terrorist watchlist have significantly increased. According to the most recent data for fiscal year 2023, Customs and Border Protection has detained 154 migrants whose identities match those on the terrorist screening dataset while trying to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. This marks a substantial rise from 100 in fiscal year 2022 and only 16 in 2021.

Reportedly, there have been tens of thousands of SIAs at the southern border from countries like Iran, Syria, and Egypt, although this data was leaked to Fox News. Consequently, reports about the 60,000 special interest aliens are primarily from right-leaning sources.

According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss™ tool, this story is a Media Miss for the left. The Media Landscape indicates that while right-leaning outlets are covering this story, fewer – if any – left-leaning outlets are reporting on the topic.

At the Foundation to Combat Anti-Semitism’s Sports Leaders Convening,@SecMayorkas spoke about the urgency with which we must confront hate-fueled violence and rhetoric. DHS is committed to working with communities to build a more tolerant, secure future. pic.twitter.com/IewYI5Tv5f
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 14, 2023

The issue of security in the United States has gained renewed focus following the attacks on Israel. Speaking at an event with a focus on combating antisemitism, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated, “First and foremost, we are partnering with state and local officials to stay vigilant in the wake of insensitive and dangerous calls to action by former Hamas leadership and pro-Hamas organizations.”

It’s essential to recognize that not everyone on the watchlist is a suspected terrorist. The 2024 Homeland Threat Assessment states that those on the watchlist may include people who are family members of suspected terrorists and individuals associated with terrorism.

We are, through our Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Grant Program, helping more than 140 violence-reduction pilot programs across the country get off the ground.
Alejandro Mayorkas, DHS Secretary

Apprehending and removing individuals engaged in terrorist activities is a top priority for the Biden administration. In recent statements, the White House emphasized that there were no indications that the migrants had terrorist links or were plotting an attack.

This weekend, Hamas’s former chief, Khaled Meshaal, called for a global day of protest and rage to support Palestine’s fight against Israel. So far, no credible threat has been found.

Straight Arrow News strives to provide unbiased, fact-based news in addition to offering a comprehensive look at how the media is covering stories that matter most. Learn more about the Media Miss™ tool and decide for yourself.

Tags: Alejandro Mayorkas, Border crossings, Border patrol, Immigration, Iran, Lebanon, Media Landscape, Media Miss, National Security, Terrorism, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S.-Mexico Border

SUSPECTED TERRORISTS COULD USE THE SOUTHERN BORDER TO GAIN ENTRY INTO THE UNITED STATES. THAT CONCERN HAS ESCALATED IN RECENT DAYS AS THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR RAGES ON. JUST THIS WEEK FOX NEWS REPORTED SO-CALLED “SPECIAL INTEREST ALIENS FROM IRAN AND LEBANON CAUGHT TRYING TO CROSS INTO THE U-S.

S-I-A’S ARE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE TRAVEL PATTERNS MAY PRESENT A NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN FOR THE U-S. HOWEVER, THERE HAS BEEN NO CONFIRMATION OF THEIR TERROR STATUS.

BUT APPREHENSIONS OF INDIVIDUALS MATCHING THE U.S. TERROR WATCHLIST HAVE RISEN SIGNIFICANTLY.
LOOKING AT THE MOST RECENT DATA FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION HAS DETAINED ONE-HUNDRED-54 MIGRANTS WHOSE IDENTITIES MATCH THOSE ON THE TERRORIST SCREENING DATASET WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER.

THIS MARKS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE FROM 100 IN FISCAL YEAR 2022 AND ONLY 16 IN 2021.

THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS COULD ONLY BE PART OF THE WHOLE PICTURE.

REPORTEDLY, THERE HAVE BEEN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF S-I-As FROM COUNTRIES LIKE IRAN, SYRIA AND EGYPT. BUT THE DATA WAS ‘LEAKED’ TO FOX NEWS.

SO WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT 60-THOUSAND SPECIAL INTEREST ALIENS – YOU’RE MAINLY HEARING IT FROM RIGHT-LEANING SOURCES.

WE’RE TELLING YOU ABOUT THE REPORT – SO YOU CAN GET A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE SITUATION.

THE ISSUE OF SECURITY IN THE STATES – FOLLOWING THE ATTACKS ON ISRAEL – IS GETTING RENEWED FOCUS.

SPEAKING AT AN EVENT WITH A FOCUS ON COMBATING ANTI-SEMITISM, D-H-S SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS SAID, QUOTE:

First and foremost, we are partnering with state and local officials to stay vigilant in the wake of insensitive and dangerous calls to action by former Hamas leadership and pro-Hamas organizations.

WHILE NOT EVERYONE ON THE WATCHLIST IS A SUSPECTED TERRORIST.

THE 20-24 HOMELAND THREAT ASSESSMENT SAYS THOSE ON THE WATCHLIST INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE FAMILY MEMBERS OF SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AND INDIVIDUALS ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM.

APPREHENDING AND REMOVING INDIVIDUALS WHO ENGAGE IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

IN RECENT STATEMENTS THE WHITE HOUSE SAID THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THE MIGRANTS HAD TERRORIST LINKS OR WERE PLOTTING AN ATTACK.

THIS WEEKEND – HAMAS’S FORMER CHIEF KHALED MESHAAL – CALLED FOR A GLOBAL DAY OF PROTEST AND RAGE TO SUPPORT PALESTINES FIGHT AGAINST ISRAEL. SO FAR NO CREDIBLE THREAT WAS FOUND.