More data coming out from the Department of Homeland Security continues to highlight the chaos and tragedy at the Southwestern border.
According to a DHS report reviewed by Breitbart Texas, 61,471 migrants from so-called Special Interest Countries entered the United States during the last fiscal year.
Individuals from these countries are referred to as “Special Interest Aliens” or SIAs, a term DHS defines as “a non-U.S. person who … potentially poses a national security risk to the United States or its interests.” This person is not necessarily a “terrorist,” but could be related to terrorist activity.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection source told Breitbart Texas that the majority of these SIAs were single males coming from countries subject to U.S. travel warnings because of terrorism. This source also said these individuals have been released into the U.S. as they await their claims for asylum.
Just for comparison, 2022 saw over 25,500 SIAs enter the country. Thus, 2023’s data reflects an increase of more than 140% in SIAs from the year prior.
Some notable countries of origin for individuals among the 34 Special Interest Countries listed in the data set include Mauritania, Turkey, and Afghanistan.
Breitbart Texas notes that these individuals will often enter the United States daily and in small numbers. They are found across the southwestern border states, but notably in Arizona.
The daily crossings from SIAs and other immigrants looking to live in the U.S. have put an incredible strain on Border Patrol’s resources. One volunteer noted that the officials are “swamped” with jobs that they were never meant to do.
Samuel Shultz, who works as a volunteer for a group called Border Kindness, has spent about two weeks at the border near San Diego providing food and water to gathering migrants. Within his time at the border, he told Border Report that he has seen the overwhelming strain on officials.
The gathering of migrants at the border presents other dangers besides personal safety and health. For instance, cartels and smugglers can use these opportunities to promote human or drug trafficking, a consistent and dreadful practice often highlighted by Congressional Republicans.