U.S. The Threats: Why Addressing Border Security Remains So Urgent

Source: A MAJORITY REPORT
BY THE
UNITED STATES HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCOMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT, INVESTIGATIONS, AND
MANAGEMENT
REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL T. McCAUL, CHAIRMAN
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
NOVEMBER 2012
A LINE IN THE SAND: COUNTERING CRIME,
VIOLENCE AND TERROR AT THE
SOUTHWEST BORDER
THE THREATS: WHY ADDRESSING BORDER SECURITY REMAINS SO URGENT

THE CONTINUED THREAT OF TERRORIST INFILTRATION

The first edition discussed numerous concerns regarding the vulnerability of the Southwest
border to infiltration by terrorist organizations. Though there have been many improvements in
our border security since that time, these concerns still largely persist.
U.S. Government officials who are directly responsible for our national security continue to
affirm the vulnerability. In August 2007 former Director of National Intelligence Mike
McConnell stated that not only have terrorists used the Southwest border to enter the United
States but that they will inevitably continue to do so as long as it is an available possibility.4 In a
July 2012 hearing before the full U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland
Security, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano confirmed that terrorists have crossed the Southwest
border with the intent to harm the American people.5
Additionally, the U.S. Border Patrol regularly apprehends aliens from the 35 “special interest”
countries “designated by our intelligence community as countries that could export individuals
that could bring harm to our country in the way of terrorism.”6 From Fiscal Years 2006 to 2011,
there were 1,918 apprehensions of these special interest aliens at our Southwest border.7 Read Full Report