Bangladesh fairly teems with ISIS and al-Qaeda members, followers of a radical Islamist political party, and foreign terrorist fighters returning from Syria. That's why U.S. homeland security sees a terrorism risk in the Bangladeshi migrants streaming over the border in recent years. Two new busts tell us more how it all works. By Todd Bensman as published September 12, 2019 by the Center for … [Read more...] about U.S.-Mexico Busts of Bangladeshi Smugglers South of the Border
Securing America's Borders
Ecuador: An Unlikely Battleground to Secure America’s Southern Border
Why an obscure move by Ecuador should result in fewer Africans, Middle Easterners and other “extra-continentals” arriving at the American southern border. Ecuador and its open borders "visa-free" policy had created an international human smuggling landing zone for U.S.-bound migrants flying in from all of the world’s trouble spots, including countries of “national security concern.” But Ecuador … [Read more...] about Ecuador: An Unlikely Battleground to Secure America’s Southern Border
U.S.-Supported Brazilian Op Busts Smugglers Moving Migrants from Muslim-Majority Countries
A recent U.S.-Brazil operation busted three human smugglers, a Somali, Algerian and Iranian, bringing migrants to the southern border (including at least two terrorist suspects) from "countries of national security interest" in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and South Asia. ICE-HSI and its partners have really had quite a year in counterterrorism, as this was only the most recent in a series … [Read more...] about U.S.-Supported Brazilian Op Busts Smugglers Moving Migrants from Muslim-Majority Countries
An American Jihadist Caught in Mexico: What we know
By Todd Bensman as originally published by the Center for Immigration Studies on August 21, 2019 On or about August 16, Mexico's Federal Ministerial Police issued a rare and most curious public announcement: Mexican immigration had apprehended an American citizen who was wanted on an Interpol "blue notice" warrant. The suspicion was that he was supporting violent jihad and radical Islam on … [Read more...] about An American Jihadist Caught in Mexico: What we know
On the Ground in Mexico: Trump’s “Wait in Mexico” Policy, Returned Migrants Crashing the Border
Whereas almost all Central Americans who illegally entered the United States prior to the new policy actively and immediately sought out U.S. Border Patrol agents so they could make their asylum claims and be quickly released legally, these migrants were planning to run, hide, and evade the Border Patrol at all costs to reach the American interior undetected. By Todd Bensman as published … [Read more...] about On the Ground in Mexico: Trump’s “Wait in Mexico” Policy, Returned Migrants Crashing the Border
The Domestic Terror Threat That has ICE in Cross-hairs
"I could tell anybody first hand, anybody who works for ICE looks like the most miserable piece of [expletive] on Earth. They all look like demons. I don't know what it's like to work for ICE, but they don't look like humans anymore." -- Sergio Salazar, San Antonio DACA student suspected of using the Internet to incite an ICE bombing in 2018, speaking in a podcast interview from Mexico A full … [Read more...] about The Domestic Terror Threat That has ICE in Cross-hairs
Former Afghan Interpreter Smuggled Afghan ‘National Security Threat’ Over Texas-Mexico Border: Here’s What We Know
An Afghan granted immigration status in America is accused of helping to smuggling in at least two fellow Afghans over the Mexico border. One was deemed a national security threat. Why cases like these demonstrate that the U.S. southern border is vulnerable to much worse than drug smuggling and illegal immigration from Honduras. By Todd Bensman as published by the Center for Immigration … [Read more...] about Former Afghan Interpreter Smuggled Afghan ‘National Security Threat’ Over Texas-Mexico Border: Here’s What We Know
Major Smuggler of Immigrants from Mideast, Africa, etc. Arrested in Costa Rica
The national security significance of this operation is not explained in media reporting, that Mama Africa, long-targeted Nicaraguan smuggler based in Costa Rica, was finally busted after years of American pursuit. She specialized in moving “special-interest aliens” from terror-prone nations like Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. By Todd Bensman as … [Read more...] about Major Smuggler of Immigrants from Mideast, Africa, etc. Arrested in Costa Rica
On the Border: Update on the Crowd-Funded Wall in New Mexico; More Construction and Controversy on the Way
What the We Build the Wall people wrought with their half-mile fence, aside from the claim that it cut off some 20 cartel smuggling pathways, is a hard symbolic proof of concept. This has motivated American donors and workers, believing they know what is right for the nation, to defeat Washington stalemate and obstructionist "open-borders left" and show a wall can be built better, … [Read more...] about On the Border: Update on the Crowd-Funded Wall in New Mexico; More Construction and Controversy on the Way
On the Ground in Juarez, Mexico: Trump “Remain in Mexico” policy working as UN buses load up Central Americans for rides home. But for how long?
In Juarez, confirmation that Trump's Remain in Mexico policy is driving asylum claimant decisions to return home. In two Juarez city shelters, a Honduran mother of two children, a young single Honduran woman, and a young single man from Guatemalan say they're going home rather than to lose the prospect of living illegally in the United States. CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico – The New York Times … [Read more...] about On the Ground in Juarez, Mexico: Trump “Remain in Mexico” policy working as UN buses load up Central Americans for rides home. But for how long?