EAGLE PASS, Texas — According to a source within Customs and Border Protection, a Syrian migrant was arrested crossing the Rio Grande along with 49 other migrants Sunday. The single adult male Syrian’s arrest triggered additional investigation, according to the source.
Syria is listed as a special interest country. The arrest triggered mandatory reporting to CBP Headquarters and a subsequent investigation with additional database searches by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Taskforce. The designation as special interest aliens does not necessarily mean they are known or suspected terrorists, according to the source.
This fiscal year, the source says migrants from special interest countries have been apprehended crossing the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, to include Eritrea, Uzbekistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and Syria. Migrants from special interest countries do not generally surrender to Border Patrol, according to the source. Instead, the source says these migrants will employ cartel smugglers to avoid apprehension.
The source told Breitbart Texas the increase in migrant traffic and the reduction in field patrols is impacting national security. With fewer agents patrolling the border, the source says a vulnerability is being created for terrorist organizations to exploit.
Since the start of the current fiscal year in October, 54 migrants listed on the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) have been arrested crossing the southwest border. In 2020, only three such arrests occurred. The reported numbers only include actual encounters.
As of July, more than 476,000 migrants eluded apprehension by the Border Patrol this fiscal year. The total, likely to have now exceeded 500,000, already eclipses the 389,000 got-aways from FY2021.
The source says the Syrian national will be transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for removal proceedings as the investigation continues. Ultimately, the migrant may be removed or released into the United States depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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