House Minority Leader Seeks FBI, CIA Briefing after Two Men on Terror Watchlist Stopped at Border

House Minority Leader Seeks FBI, CIA Briefing after Two Men on Terror Watchlist Stopped at Border

  • Apr 07, 2021

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) would like to have an FBI and CIA classified briefing, as well as other lawmakers, following reports that two people on the on the FBI's terror watchlist were apprehended after crossing the southern border.

McCarthy said that this is part of an ongoing national security risk posed by the border crisis. A letter was sent by McCarthy to the leaders of the two agencies. "While I am grateful for the Border Patrol for doing all they can, I have great concerns for a number of bad actors that have escaped arrest and are living in the United States."

McCarthy requested the briefing on the arrests for himself, and asked that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) be included. McCarthy also felt that Vice President Harris would benefit from this briefing. "I hope she, along with the Congressional leaders, could benefit from this briefing.

Immigration officials announced this week that two Yemeni men were arrested about two months apart after crossing into the U.S. near the Calexico Port of Entry in California.

"While encounters of known and suspected terrorists at our borders are very uncommon, they underscore the importance of the critical work our agents carry out on a daily basis to vet all individuals encountered at our borders," a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told NBC.

Following a surge of migrants traveling northward to the United States in recent weeks, Republicans have been critical of the Biden administration's handling of the border situation, following a surge of migrants heading north to the United States.

McCarthy first warned of "terrorists crossing the border" in March, a claim swatted down by Democrats at the time.

"Weird as the Chairman of the subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations and a border state member of Congress haven't heard anything about this," Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) tweeted last month. "Gonna ask for a briefing. Pretty sure he is either wrong or lying."

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.