Montana Senator Steve Daines has joined fellow GOP lawmakers demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding the apprehension and subsequent release of several individuals with suspected links to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) who crossed the southern border into the country.
In a letter addressed to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the senators, led by Senator Tedd Budd (R-NC), expressed their "grave concerns" regarding reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had arrested eight individuals from Tajikistan with suspected terror ties to ISIS.
The letter noted that two of these individuals had crossed the border in the spring of 2023, with one of them reportedly using the CBP One app to enter the United States.
Read: Hundreds Of Migrants Have Reportedly Entered United States Through ISIS-Affiliated Network
“We write to express our grave concerns regarding reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests of eight individuals from Tajikistan suspected to have terror ties to ISIS who crossed the southern border to enter the U.S. last year and this year. Reportedly, two of these individuals crossed the border in spring 2023, and one of them used the CBP One app to enter the U.S. We are deeply concerned by reports that a wiretap shows that one of the now-arrested individuals was talking about bombs and that the target of the wiretap was previously released by federal authorities at the southern border with a court date of next year. We are further concerned by reports that federal authorities vetting these individuals upon entry into the U.S. did not detect any ties to ISIS at the time and only discovered these ties “[l]ater and in recent weeks,” wrote the senators.
Senator Daines has been a vocal advocate for strengthening border security and addressing the threats posed by the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
In a recent press conference, he addressed the issue of violent crimes being committed against Americans as a result of the open southern border, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
Read: Border Officers Intercept 12 Pounds, $234K Worth Of Heroin At Texas Entry Port
Daines has also made appearances on national media outlets, such as Fox Business' "Mornings with Maria," to discuss the terror threat that the Biden administration's border policies have brought to the United States.
In these interviews, he has emphasized the need for decisive action to address the vulnerabilities in the country's immigration and border control systems.
The apprehension and release of the suspected ISIS-linked individuals at the southern border must be understood within the broader context of the ongoing challenges faced by the United States in securing its borders.
The influx of migrants, the prevalence of human trafficking and drug smuggling, and the potential for the entry of individuals with nefarious intentions have all contributed to the growing concerns over the nation's border security.
The letter was led by Senator Tedd Budd (R-N.C.) and co-signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), John Thune (S.D.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), JD Vance (R-Ohio), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).
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