The number of arrests made of illegal aliens on the terror watchlist has increased 75% since last year, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.
Border patrol encounters with illegal aliens on the watchlist at the southern and northern border jumped from 98 in 2022 to 172 in 2023, CBP’s data for the fiscal year shows. In 2019, there were zero apprehensions at the southern border, versus 98 in 2022 and 169 in 2023.
Last month also saw the highest number of migrant encounters recorded at the southern border in a month to date, at 269,735 encounters, according to CBP’s September data. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Illegal Immigration At Southern Border Hits New September Record)
BREAKING: CBP reports there were 269,735 migrant encounters at the southern border in September, making it the highest single month ever recorded. CBP reports fiscal year 2023 now finishes with 2.47 million encounters, also the highest annual total ever recorded in a single year.
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) October 21, 2023
The House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green said the numbers “demonstrate beyond a doubt that Secretary Mayorkas’ refusal to enforce the law and secure our border is jeopardizing our safety and security.”
“Additionally, CBP and the Border Patrol continue to be completely overwhelmed by the flood of illegal immigration that has not stopped since he and President Biden took office,” he said. “We also can’t forget about the 1.7 million known gotaways, some of whom may be seeking to cause the same type of devastation we saw in Israel on October 7.”
Troy A. Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner, stated in a press release CBP “surged resources and personnel” in response to high encournter rates in September.
“We are continually engaging with domestic and foreign partners to address historic hemispheric migration, including large migrant groups traveling on freight trains, and to enforce consequences including by preparing for direct repatriations to Venezuela,” Miller said.
Miller said CBP will “continue to remain vigilant, making operational adjustments as necessary and enforcing consequences under U.S. immigration law.”
“The supplemental funding request announced yesterday would provide critically needed additional resources including additional CBP agents and officers to support our essential missions: from border and migration management, to countering fentanyl and keeping dangerous drugs out of our communities,” he continued.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.