Border Patrol agents encountered 17 individuals on the FBI’s terror watchlist attempting to enter the United States.
The individuals were processed by agents after unlawfully crossing the southern border.
Data from Customs and Border Patrol reveals that in fiscal year 2023, 172 individuals on the terror watchlist were encountered by U.S. Border Patrol agents.
Across the southern border, 169 individuals were encountered, whereas the northern border had 3 encounters with those on the terror watchlist.
Within CBP’s Office of Field Operations, 564 individuals on the terror watchlist were encountered.
Forty-nine individuals have already been encountered since the beginning of fiscal year 2024, according to the data.
Between October 2022 and August 2023, 151 illegal immigrants on the terror watchlist were apprehended, American Faith reported.
In fiscal year 2022 alone, 98 individuals on the terrorism watchlist were encountered.
In comparison, zero terrorism watchlist identities were arrested on the Southwest Border in fiscal year 2019
A September report from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expressed concerns about a surge in the number of individuals from the U.S. terror watchlist.
The report highlighted, “Although encounters with migrants have declined from record highs in December, migrants seeking entry to the United States are still arriving at a rate that is on pace to nearly match 2022 total encounters.”
It further underscored an alarming trend: “As part of this increase, we have encountered growing numbers of individuals in the Terrorist Screening Data Set (TSDS), also known as the ‘watchlist.’”
By July of this year, the DHS confirmed that around 160 unauthorized immigrants who are on this watchlist tried to make their way into the U.S. via the southern border.
