Number of suspected terrorists crossing our border continues to spike
White House claims Biden admin has ‘taken action’ on border crisis without GOP help
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responds to questions from FOX's Peter Doocy and Edward Lawrence about the border crisis.
President Joe Biden’s dereliction of duty at the southern border is quite literally, destroying innocent American lives — and has the potential to put thousands more at risk.
The situation at the southern border has degraded for years, if not decades. Yet, it shows signs, after four years of marked improvements under President Donald Trump’s administration, of sinking into a full-blown catastrophe.
Americans are desperate for accountability, and it may be time for Congress to employ the full weight of constitutional action against the president and appropriate officials if they will not uphold their oaths of office.
LEAKED IMAGES SHOW BIDEN ADMIN'S PLANNED ICE ID CARD FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Last month, it was revealed that the FBI has been attempting to track down members of a group of illegal migrants who were allowed to enter the country after requesting asylum. It was not until Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials cleared these migrants (as is standard protocol for thousands of illegal aliens every day), that the FBI discovered the connection of an ISIS-affiliated smuggler who was facilitating these travelers’ journey into the United States.
Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), speaks during a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, July 26, 2023. The hearing is titled "Oversight of the US Department of Homeland Security." (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The FBI and other officials will tell everyone that this situation is proof that the system works, and that the federal government will eventually find out who is a potential threat to this nation and track them down in the homeland.
However, Americans who have been witnessing the breakdown of law and order at the southern border know differently. The case of this ISIS-affiliated smuggler is likely one of countless security nightmares at the border taking place every month — and the Biden administration is allowing the chaos and lawlessness to get worse, not better.
We know from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that the border patrol has encountered 146 suspected terrorists between ports of entry at the southern border just this fiscal year alone. This number is up from 98 in Fiscal Year 2022 and 15 in Fiscal Year 2021.
There are also thousands of aliens who are arrested by border officials every year who have criminal records from previous stays in our country. Many of these criminals have committed very serious offenses in America, and yet they migrate back to our communities.
Lest the government again inform you that the apprehension of these suspected terrorists and criminals is Exhibit A of the system working to perfection, the number of arrests from border officials is always a fraction of the total number of individuals crossing the border.
Since Biden took the oath of office on January 20, 2021, more than 1.5 million illegal aliens (otherwise referred to as ‘gotaways’) have escaped apprehension by law enforcement, making their way into communities across the country.
Their identities and motives are largely unknown to everyone in our government. There could very well be terrorists, gang members and hardened criminals setting up shop in a neighborhood near you — all due to the Biden administration’s refusal to enforce the laws and secure the border.
With facts such as these, the debate over securing our border should be largely settled. All elected officials, regardless of their party affiliation, should desire to protect their constituents and come together to do what is right for our nation’s future.
We know from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that the border patrol has encountered 146 suspected terrorists between ports of entry at the southern border just this fiscal year alone. This number is up from 98 in Fiscal Year 2022 and 15 in Fiscal Year 2021.
Sadly, this has not been the United States’ reality for several years. Instead of upholding their oaths of office, politicians have decided to promote radical open-borders agendas that give complete deference to cartel killers over American boys and girls.
The time for talk is now over. It’s clear that the Biden administration will not be moved from their acquiescence of lawlessness. Members of Congress have a constitutional obligation to hold this administration accountable and to show our constituents that we will do everything in our power to protect them and their communities.
I’ve been supportive of efforts to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. His department is at the front lines of this border crisis, and his leadership has largely contributed to the utter collapse of the rule of law at our southern border. We may not be able to immediately turn around the border crisis, but we should assign guilt appropriately to whom it is due.
Republican Debbie Lesko represents Arizona's 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.
