A source within U.S. Customs and Border Protection revealed to Breitbart Texas that the number of “special interest” migrants encountered by Border Patrol agents during Fiscal Year 2023 is rapidly rising. Records show migrant apprehensions this year of those from countries designated as “special interest” countries more than doubled when compared to the previous year.
The source, not authorized to speak to the media, told Breitbart Texas that migrants arrested from countries the agency designates as special interest include Turkey, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Mauritania, Somalia, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Eritrea, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, Morocco, and Lebanon. Alarmingly, according to the source, migrant apprehensions from some of the listed nationalities have shown a more than 1,000 percent jump in Fiscal Year 2023 when compared to Fiscal Year 2022.
In a report reviewed by Breitbart Texas, migrant apprehensions of Afghan nationals rose by more than 1000% — from slightly more than 100 in 2022 to more than 3,000 in the first six months of FY23 which began in October. Migrant arrests involving nationals from Mauritania, Kazakhstan, Egypt, and Lebanon also rose by 900 to more than 1000 percent in the current fiscal year.
In all, more than 22,000 migrants from countries considered as countries of special interest by the Department of Homeland Security were apprehended in the first six months of 2023 compared to just over 9,000 for the same period in FY22. The alarming statistical increase, according to the source, is of less concern than the potential of the unknown number of special interest migrants that may have eluded apprehension by the Border Patrol.
The source told Breitbart Texas an intensive review process is triggered at the time of arrest for all migrants from special interest countries. That review includes interviews with Border Patrol intelligence officers and a detailed review by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Taskforce. The review process is designed to explore connections the migrant may have with organizations that seek to harm the United States.
According to the source, the concern lies with those migrants who the agency did not encounter during or after an illegal entry at the northern, southern, or coastal borders. As reported by Breitbart Texas, apprehensions at the southwest border alone topped 1,060,000 from October 2022 to March 2023. Reported got-aways along the same stretch of border were in excess of 400,000.
The source says the likelihood that all migrants from special interest countries who breached the border into the United States were apprehended by the Border Patrol is highly unlikely. As migrant apprehensions continue at record levels, agents routinely tasked with patrolling the border are redirected to process and provide humanitarian care for those held in temporary processing facilities.
The source told Breitbart Texas the designation of a country as a special interest country does not indicate migrants are “Known or Suspected Terrorist.” That designation, according to the source, is separate and distinct from merely the nationality of the migrant. The designation of “Known or Suspected Terrorist” requires investigative information that indicates the migrant is associated with a group, or groups that intend to harm the United States. The migrants, according to the source, may or may not be listed on the Terrorist Screening Database. The addition to that list is based on actions related to the individual and not solely based on a migrant’s nationality.
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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