Now that President Joe Biden’s “border security” proclamation has been revealed as a political distraction, it’s crucial for Congress and the public to refocus on the serious and dangerous consequences of his open border operations.
Conservatives, like myself, have been raising alarms about the national security risks at our borders for over three years. We’ve demonstrated repeatedly that this administration’s lawless open border policy has led to historic levels of alien deaths and fentanyl poisonings among U.S. citizens. Moreover, the scale of sex trafficking, particularly involving women and children, is alarming: criminal cartels have smuggled approximately 500,000 children into the U.S.
However, these tragedies pale in comparison to the potential national security threats posed by our unregulated borders. As a law enforcement officer for 34 years, I was especially alarmed by recent data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
The number of illegal aliens arrested by Border Patrol is staggering. During the three full years of former President Donald Trump (fiscal years 2017, 2018, and 2019), a total of 11 aliens arrested were on the Terrorist Screening Database. Under Biden’s three years (fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023), Border Patrol encountered 286 terrorist watchlist hits.
That’s a 2,600% increase, and it’s not because Border Patrol has more time to screen border crossers. On the contrary, agents are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people seeking processing into the U.S. This surge in watchlist hits is symptomatic of the overall explosion in encounters during this administration.
Despite this public data, there isn’t bipartisan consensus in Congress or the media acknowledging this national security vulnerability. This raises a critical question: Are we so divided that a significant portion of our population either doesn’t care about this issue or is simply uninformed?
I believe it’s both.
Firstly, many people—especially politicians and coastal elites—live far from the border and are less directly affected by Biden’s policies. As such, they might be unaware of the danger.
Our elected officials, however, have no such excuse. They are aware of the border threats, but many politicians (including some conservatives) prioritize elections over addressing the issue. Ignoring these historic numbers allows them to avoid accountability.
My question to Congress is simple: When is enough, enough? Nearly 100,000 Americans have died from fentanyl overdoses. Enough? Mexican criminal cartels have killed more Americans than all terrorist groups combined. Enough?
These cartels have smuggled approximately 500,000 children across the border. Enough? The Biden administration has lost track of over 85,000 children released to sponsors. Enough? Many smuggled children end up in hazardous labor conditions, such as meatpacking plants, where adults frequently suffer injuries or death. Enough?
Almost one-third of women making the journey with cartel assistance are sexually assaulted, and the number of alien deaths during the journey is unprecedented. Enough? With 10 million migrants crossing the border during the Biden administration, assaults and deaths could number in the hundreds of thousands. Enough?
I could go on.
If none of this compels action, a 2,600% increase in terrorist watchlist hits should. Nearly 2 million known “gotaways” have paid the cartels to evade Border Patrol, bypassing offers of transportation, lodging, meals, medical care, and work authorization. Why? Likely to avoid being fingerprinted or vetted. Border Patrol has arrested aliens from over 180 countries since Biden took office, including state sponsors of terrorism. How many “gotaways” came from these nations?
So, I ask again: When is enough, enough? The answer is now. The next administration must prioritize border security as a national security issue. Congress should unite to acknowledge the heightened national security vulnerability at our borders and fund and empower Immigration and Customs Enforcement to locate and detain all terrorism threats within the U.S.
Why? Because action shouldn’t wait until after a terrorist attack occurs for Congress, the media, and the administration to respond.
Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
