Speaker Johnson says he believes there still is a connection to open border with New Orleans attack

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday that he thinks that the New Orleans terrorist attack may have some connection to the U.S. southern border.

"The border is a top priority for the country," Johnson said on the "Just the News, No Noise" TV show. "I'm afraid my gut tells me that this event in New Orleans may be tied in some way to the border. We don't know that yet, but we know intuitively that the wide open border for years has led [and] is going to lead to more events like this."

On New Year's Day, a man drove a pickup truck through a crowd of people in the French Quarter before opening fire on police with a gun, killing 15 and injuring dozens.

The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas. He died in a shootout with police after the incident. 

Johnson said there would be immediate action when President-elect Donald Trump takes office later this month.

"As soon as President Trump takes his oath, he'll use executive orders and we will get that border secured and under control," he said. "And then we have to talk about the deportation situation of these dangerous criminals and would-be terrorists, many who are in the country."