FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before lawmakers on Wednesday, highlighting the agency’s growing concern over the number of illegal immigrants evading Border Patrol agents and entering the country. Wray described this issue as a “great concern” for the agency and emphasized that threats from the other side of the border are consuming FBI field offices.
During the House Homeland Security Committee hearing on “Worldwide Threats to the Homeland,” Chairman Mark Green questioned Wray about the high number of gotaways, referring to illegal immigrants who successfully evade Border Patrol. Wray revealed that there have been over 47,000 gotaways since the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1. Green suggested that the number of gotaways since the start of the Biden administration could exceed two million.
Wray assured lawmakers that the FBI is aggressively utilizing all 56 of its joint terrorism task forces to address this issue. However, he acknowledged that any group of people in the United States about whom the agency lacks sufficient information is a cause for concern in terms of protecting Americans. Wray further testified that there has been a recent increase in the number of known or suspected terrorists attempting to cross the border, with record numbers encountered on the terror watchlist in FY 23.
These testimonies come at a time when concerns about terrorists exploiting the border to gain access to the United States are being raised by Republicans and even within the Biden administration. Border Patrol agents are currently facing record numbers of migrant encounters, with over 249,000 in October alone. Republicans have placed blame on the Biden administration’s policies, while the administration argues for immigration reform and increased funding to address the broken immigration system.
The recent Hamas terror attack on Israel has further intensified these concerns about potential terrorism threats. Chairman Green warned that the United States is at a heightened risk, attributing it, in part, to the open-door policy at the border. Wray previously informed Senate lawmakers that ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have elevated the threat of terror attacks against Americans to a “whole other level.” Of immediate concern are homegrown violent extremists inspired by foreign terrorist organizations or domestic violent extremists targeting Muslim or Jewish targets.
While a CBP memo warned that fighters from Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups may seek entry into the U.S., the agency stated that it has not observed any attempts by fighters to enter the country. The Department of Homeland Security’s FY 24 threat assessment, however, highlighted an increasing number of encounters with individuals on the watchlist and cautioned that terrorists and criminal actors may exploit the elevated flow and complex security environment at the border.
The CBP and DHS emphasize their tireless efforts to screen, vet, and prevent individuals who pose a threat from entering the country. They employ biometric and biographic screening and vetting processes, denying admission, detaining, removing, or referring individuals to other federal agencies for further vetting and prosecution when necessary.
Overall, the issue of escaping illegal immigrants at the southern border has become a pressing concern for the FBI, as highlighted by Director Wray’s testimony. The potential for terrorists to exploit the border and gain access to the United States has raised alarm bells among Republicans and within the Biden administration. Efforts to address this issue include calls for immigration reform and increased funding, while the CBP and DHS continue their rigorous screening and vetting processes to ensure national security.
