Katko on Apprehension of Saudi National with Potential Ties to Terrorism at the Southwest Border

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Rep. John Katko (R-NY), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement on the apprehension of a Saudi national with potential ties to terrorism attempting to illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico in the Yuma Sector.

“I am deeply troubled by reports of a Saudi national apprehended at the southwest border with potential ties to terrorism and found wearing a jacket emblazoned with a Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corps emblem. As I and many of my colleagues have been saying for months, the impact and relevancy of the Biden Border Crisis are not limited to communities along the southwest border. Migrants are entering the United States illegally in record numbers from a litany of countries. We are undoubtedly experiencing a nationwide crisis.

“Having recently returned from a trip to the southwest border, I can say with certainty the Biden Administration’s disastrous border policies are leaving our communities vulnerable to drugs, violence, COVID-19, and terrorism. While I continue to seek additional details from the Department of Homeland Security about this specific instance, the reality is our nation faces a serious crisis at the southwest border and this Administration still refuses to address it. With this report, as well as documented increases in fentanyl and other drugs crossing the border, it’s clear the security failures on the border are having an adverse impact on Central New York and communities across the United States. That’s why I remain committed to advocating for strong border security.”

Background

• Homeland Security Republicans continue to push DHS Secretary Mayorkas to make public the number of known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) encountered illegally entering the U.S. at the southwest border as a result of President Biden’s open border policies.
  • In August, after receiving troubling information in a classified briefing, Ranking Member Katko, Rep. Higgins (R-LA), and Rep. Pfluger (R-TX) led an effort to provide the American public with the information they need to form their own opinions about Biden’s Border Crisis, including the number of KSTs encountered attempting to illegally enter the country.

 

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