Written by Bethany Blankley (The Center Square)
Aaron Heitke, a retired chief patrol agent for the San Diego Border Patrol, said he was instructed by the Biden administration not to disclose the apprehensions of illegal border crossers designated as “alien of significant concern” for terrorism-related reasons.
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Heitke testified before the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday about how Biden-Harris’ “open borders policy has undermined our safety and security.”
“There has been an exponential increase in the number of foreign nationals with ties to terrorism,” he said, adding that they have entered the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego area illegally.
Before the Biden-Harris administration, the sector averaged 10 to 15 SIAs per year. “Once word got out that it was going to be a lot easier to cross the border, San Diego did over 100 SIAs in 2022, well over 100 in 2023, and even more this year,” he said.
“These are just the people we caught,” he said, meaning the number is likely to be higher because many people cross the border illegally and escape without being caught.
“At the time, I was told I couldn’t release information about the increase in SIA or comment on the arrests,” Heitke testified. “The administration was trying to convince the public that there was no threat at the border.”
His testimony comes as the Biden-Harris administration has made the largest number of arrests of people on federal terrorism watchlists since August 2021, with 1,856 people arrested, The Center Square reported. Reported.
He said none of this would have happened if federal law currently enacted by Congress had been in place.
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“The only real result of slowing and deterring the entry of people who are coming to the United States illegally is to send them back to their countries of origin under existing laws,” he said.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, Border Patrol agents were told to do the opposite, he said. Over the three-and-a-half years, “I’ve seen a steady decline in the number of countries that I can send people to.”
“For the first time in 25 years and five different administrations, we have seen a major disruption, either by neglect or intention, in our ability to return people to their countries of origin. The inability to return people has meant that most people arrested for illegal entry are either detained or released.”
Since January 2021, “from day one,” the Biden-Harris administration has “made it a primary goal to reduce the amount of available detention space across the country,” the statement said, noting that funding for ICE detention space has been steadily cut and private detention has been eliminated.
He said that “open border policies” and “the rapid spread of illegal immigration into the United States around the world” have led to unprecedented levels of illegal immigration into the United States.
“The impact on me and my agents was significant. Each district was ordered to detain and process any illegal aliens encountered at the border. Border Patrol saw hundreds and thousands of people coming into the United States and turning themselves in.”
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As a result, “80 to 90 percent, sometimes 100 percent” of the agents on duty were “pushed out” of the southwestern border. There were miles of unmanned borders in Texas, Arizona and California, “without agents for weeks and months,” he said.
He said, “Foreigners who don’t want to be caught can just walk in,” referring to the exodus. At least 2 million since fiscal year 2021. Center Square is the first Reported.
“We have no idea who or what has been coming into our country during this time. Throughout 2022 and 2023, I had agents in Texas and Arizona counting the fugitives. We couldn’t even get enough agents on the ground in those areas to see what they missed.”
Then New York Republican Rep. Anthony D’Esposito asked him, “What do you know about the millions of known fugitives who have entered this country?”
“None,” Heitke answered.
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“We have no information at all about millions of people, some of whom have been identified as being on terror watch lists. We have no information at all,” D’Esposito asked.
“correct.”
Heitke was interviewed by the committee last year and described the level of national security threat that existed because the checkpoints had to be closed as illegal border crossers poured into California. Then agents had to move personnel from the field to process the illegal border crossers and return them to the country. Center Square Reported. As their agents withdrew from the field, Heitke and others became concerned that Americans were not safe and that international criminal organizations were Exploit Open borders for smuggling people and unprecedented amounts of fentanyl.
“Every time I asked for help to deal with a new problem, there was no response,” he said.
Co-published with permission from Center Square.
