Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee on Monday revealed that nearly 100 illegal immigrants on the FBI's terror watch list were allowed to settle into the United States between 2021 and 2023.
The committee's report looked at potential national security risks that have slipped through the United States's southern border because of the open border policies under the Biden administration.
The report found that more than 250 illegal immigrants on the watch list were encountered at the southern border between 2021, and 2023, and 34 people on the list are still in the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) custody, but have not been deported so far.
"Key findings from the report include data that show, between fiscal years 2021 and 2023, Border Patrol at the southwest border encountered aliens on the terrorist watchlist from 36 different countries, including places with an active terrorist presence," the committee said in a news release.
"So far during fiscal year 2024, Border Patrol has encountered tens of thousands of illegal aliens nationwide from countries that could present national security risks," it added.
The migrants in 2024 come from countries like China, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, and Uzbekistan. China has had the biggest influx, with 33,347 Chinese migrants flooding to the U.S., but it is not clear how many of those, if any, were on the terror watchlist.
Republicans on the committee also noted that the policies exposed a serious national security loophole related to immigration court appearances, because only five percent of immigration judges have access to classified information regarding the migrant.
"Immigration judges granted bond to at least 27 aliens on the terrorist watchlist who were encountered between ports of entry at the southwest border between fiscal years 2021 and 2023," the report noted. "Additionally, immigration judges granted asylum to at least four watchlisted aliens, with at least two additional known or suspected terrorists having their cases terminated by an immigration judge."
The report comes after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested in June eight asylum seekers from Tajikistan, who had potential ties to the terrorist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Related Story: DHS Says ‘Privacy’ of Migrants on Terrorist Watchlist is Greater than Public’s Right to Know
