Border Patrol apprehended 151 illegal immigrants on terror watchlist in less than a year

The United States Border Patrol arrested 151 illegal immigrants whose names appeared on the national terrorism watchlist between October 2022 and August, according to federal data updated last Friday.

The Border Patrol nabbed 98 individuals whose names appeared on the terror watchlist in all of fiscal year 2022, according to the data. Additionally, in fiscal year 2019, Border Patrol had no apprehensions of individuals on the terror watchlist at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Border Patrol encounters with illegal immigrants between October 2022 and August surpassed 1.8 million, according to the most recent figures. In August alone, Border Patrol encountered roughly 181,000 migrants that crossed illegally.

Meanwhile, federal authorities are trying to track down more than a dozen Uzbeki migrants smuggled through the U.S.-Mexico border by an ISIS-tied smuggler.

“CBP remains vigilant in the face of ruthless smugglers and transnational criminal organizations who exploit vulnerable migrants, the same criminal organizations trafficking in lethal drugs that harm our communities,” Troy A. Miller, senior official performing the duties of the commissioner, said in a statement Friday.

“Our operational tempo along the border has increased in response to increased encounters, and we remain squarely focused on our broader security mission and enforcing U.S. immigration laws. We are maximizing consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States, including by processing more individuals into expedited removal than ever before" he said.

"The men and women of CBP continue to work, day in and day out, to protect our nation, disrupting the entry of dangerous people and dangerous goods into the country while providing humanitarian care for vulnerable individuals,” Miller added.

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