Federal Authorities Detain Jordanian Migrant Suspected of Being a Terrorist
A Jordanian migrant, identified as 41-year-old Mohammed Hasan Abdellatif Albana, was caught trying to enter the United States through its northern border by federal authorities. According to ICE Enforcement Removal Operations in Seattle, Albana was a “known or suspected terrorist” and was detained near Lynden, Washington.
It is unclear when or where Albana entered the country, but he was sent back to Jordan on November 15 after immigration proceedings. Drew H. Bostock, ERO Seattle Field Office Director, stated, “ERO Seattle is committed to the removal of noncitizens who pose a risk to the national security of the U.S.”
This incident is part of a larger trend, according to data from Customs and Border Patrol. Since the Biden administration took office, Border Patrol agents have intercepted 300 migrants whose names appear on the terror watchlist crossing the country’s northern and southern borders.
A report by Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee revealed that at least 99 illegal aliens on the terrorist watchlist were released into American communities by DHS during the same period. An additional 34 individuals remained in DHS custody but were not yet removed from the country.
The report also found that immigration judges granted bond to at least 27 migrants on the watchlist who entered illegally and that Border Patrol has encountered tens of thousands of migrants from countries that could present national security risks. Despite these concerns, it remains unclear how many potential terrorists evaded Border Patrol detection and entered the United States as part of nearly 2 million “gotaways” since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration.