(UsNewsMag.com) – Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall introduced legislation that would require a monthly report from the federal government to Congress about encounters at the southern border involving people on the terror watch list. Texas Sen. John Cornyn co-sponsored the legislation.
The move comes as concerns about the terror threat at the southern border are on the rise. New Customs and Border Protection (CBP) statistics for fiscal year 2023 show that there were a record number of people encountered between ports of entry at the southern border. Though the CBP already reports on some information about terror watchlist encounters, the proposed legislation would expand upon the required information.
The legislation would require the Department of Justice as well as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to submit a monthly report about the number of terror watchlist encounters. The report would also include information about the location of the encounters, national origin, why the individual was on the watchlist, ties to any terrorist organization, as well as any prior criminal convictions. Information about how the individual traveled to the United States, details about their detention as well as if the individual has been deported into the U.S. or released would also be included in the report.
In a statement, Marshall said that “there is an invasion” at the southern border which puts the safety of Americans at risk. He added that the threat the individuals on the FBI’s terror watchlist pose to the safety of Americans “is too great for us to do nothing.”
Cornyn said that “hundreds of individuals on the terrorist watchlist” have been caught by Border Patrol “trying to cross the southern border” since President Joe Biden was elected. Cornyn added that the number that have crossed the border “undetected” remains unknown.
In fiscal year 2023, there were 169 individuals on the terror watchlist encountered at the southern border. The number rose to 172 if encounters between ports of entry as well as those at the northern border were included.
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