National Security: Threats at Our Borders

PURPOSE:

• To review the current surge of foreign nationals entering, or attempting to enter illegally, along the southern border.
• To examine U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s efforts to respond.
• To examine the resources available to CBP to identify, apprehend, and remove aliens who may pose a risk to the American people.

BACKGROUND:

• The border security mission of the Department of Homeland Security calls on the agency to “prevent the illegal flow of people and goods across U.S. air, land, and sea borders while expediting the safe flow of lawful travel and commerce; ensure security and resilience of global movement systems; [and] disrupt and dismantle transnational organizations that engage in smuggling and trafficking across the U.S. border.”
• The November 2015 Paris attacks, and the San Bernardino shootings in December 2015 have raised concerns that foreign nationals seeking to cause harm to the United States may attempt to exploit our nation’s immigration system.
• For FY 2016, the number of unaccompanied alien minors illegally entering the country increased 89 percent from the same time period in FY 2015, and family unit members illegally entering increased 149 percent.