Republicans criticize Biden administration for not providing information on individuals in terror watchlist
Republicans are up in arms over the Biden administration’s refusal to disclose information regarding individuals on the terror watchlist encountered at the southern border, citing privacy concerns as the reason for denying a request by Fox for this information.
“What is Joe Biden, this administration and the Democrats, what are they hiding?” questioned Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on the “Verdict with Ted Cruz” podcast. He pointed out that crucial details such as the countries of origin of these individuals have not been released, hinting that the information might be quite incriminating.
Migrants who have crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico and entered the United States are being processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, as illegal immigration continues to surge during the Biden administration’s tenure.
The Terrorist Screening Dataset (TSDS) contains sensitive information about terrorist identities, initially including only known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) but now expanding to individuals posing a potential threat to the United States, including known associates of watchlisted individuals.
Over six months later, CBP informed Fox that they would not disclose the requested information, despite acknowledging its presence in the Terrorist Screening Dataset.
A letter from CBP explained that exemptions are being applied to safeguard the privacy of individuals in the records, citing a need to balance the public’s right to information against an individual’s right to privacy.
“The privacy interests of the individuals in the records you have requested outweigh any minimal public interest in disclosure of the information. Any private interest you may have in that information does not factor into the aforementioned balancing test,” the letter stated.
Furthermore, the exemptions include protection of records that might reveal law enforcement techniques or procedures, as well as those that could jeopardize the safety of individuals.
So far this year, Border Patrol has encountered 80 individuals who are on the TSDS between ports of entry, compared to 172 in fiscal year 2023 and 98 in fiscal year 2022.
Unsurprisingly, the response from CBP prompted a swift reaction from Republicans, who criticized the prioritization of the privacy of potential national security threats over the public’s right to know the origins of these individuals.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., emphasized the importance of retaining data on the number and nationalities of individuals who have evaded capture and entered the United States, urging DHS and CBP to provide this crucial information as required by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
In his own request for information, Issa sought the nationalities of individuals on the TSDS and those within his district and surrounding areas, emphasizing the significance of sharing this information with both himself as a Member of Congress and the American public.
“There is no reason to reject providing this critical information to the public,” Issa emphasized, while reiterating his call for a briefing on the matter.
