Cotton to Mayorkas: American people have a right to know who is crossing southern border

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas expressing his concern over the refusal to disclose the nationality of individuals on the FBI’s terror watchlist who illegally crossed the southern U.S. border. Senator Cotton questioned the justification of protecting the “personal privacy” of suspected illegal alien terrorists and suggested that the decision to withhold information is a politically motivated attempt to hide evidence of the Biden-Harris border crisis.  

 Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

September 5, 2024

The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas 

Secretary, Department of Homeland Security 

Washington, D.C. 20528 

Dear Secretary Mayorkas,

I write about troubling reports that the Department of Homeland Security is refusing to disclose the nationalities of FBI terror watchlist suspects who illegally crossed the southern border. 

In October 2023, Fox News filed a Freedom of Information Act request seeking disclosure of the nationalities of FBI terror watchlist suspects who unlawfully crossed the southern border. A letter denying Fox News’ request stated that your agency is “committed to protecting the identity of individuals” on the terror watchlist, and that the request was an “invasion of personal privacy.” Your agency asserted that the “privacy interests” of illegal-alien terrorists “far outweigh whatever public interest, if any, exists in having their information released.”

Your letter also dubiously claimed that terrorist organizations could exploit nationality information by “infer[ring] a large percentage of its operatives from a particular nationality” raise fewer terrorism red flags. Of course, if the Biden-Harris administration impartially enforced our laws and deported illegal aliens regardless of their origin, terrorists wouldn’t be able to game the system in the manner you describe.

I suspect that the real reason you’re unlawfully withholding this information about terror suspects’ nationalities isn’t due to privacy or security concerns, but rather partisan concerns that it would alarm the American people. Once again, you’re attempting to hide evidence of the Biden-Harris administration’s border crisis.

But the American people have a right to know who is crossing our border, especially when those illegal aliens have ties to terrorism. And that right, contrary to your bizarre assertion, “far outweighs” the privacy rights of illegal aliens suspected of terrorism. Honestly, I can’t believe I even have to write that sentence.

Congress has an oversight interest in this information as well. Therefore, please provide my office with the information sought in the Freedom of Information Act request made by Fox News no later than September 10.

Sincerely,

____________________

Tom Cotton

United States Senator

U.S. Congressman Steve Womack statement on House passage of Homeland Security, Defense, State and Foreign Operations FY25 Appropriations Bills

Washington, DC—June 28, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY25 Homeland Security, Defense, and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bills with his strong support:

Congressman Womack said, “Promoting America’s safety and security is at the heart of each of the Appropriations bills House Republicans passed this week. We advanced investments to secure the border, deter our adversaries, and support our men and women in uniform. The defense priorities within Arkansas’ Third are also taken care of, including additional funding for the Foreign Military Sales mission at Ebbing Air National Guard Base and vital defense research conducted in Arkansas. However, our work is far from complete. We must continue down the aggressive path Chairman Cole has set for Republicans to have strong negotiating power and fulfill our duty of responsibly funding the government.”

Bill breakdowns:

The Homeland Security Appropriations bill secures our southern border by providing robust funding for border patrol agents and technology, counters China, bolsters national security, and rejects the Biden Administration’s attempts to further its reckless agenda to encourage more illegal immigration. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The Defense Appropriations bill funds a 4.5% pay raise for our troops, as well as an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers, ensures the delivery of combat-ready forces to deter war and ensure national security, and eliminates funding for President Biden’s social agenda. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The State and Foreign Operations bill prioritizes resources to support our allies and counter our adversaries, prohibits funding for organizations that do not support U.S. interests—including the International Criminal Court, United Nations Relief Works Agency, and World Health Organization—and promotes American values by increasing funding for religious freedom programs abroad and implementing the expanded Mexico City Policy on all health funds in the bill. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The House has now passed 4 of the 12 FY25 Appropriations bills, with passage of the FY25 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill on June 5, 2024.

Representative French Hill fights to secure our border and defend our nation

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. French Hill (AR-02) today released the following statement after the House passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security, State and Foreign Operations, and Defense Appropriations bills:

“Border security is not a partisan issue – it is a national security issue. As the crisis at our southwest border rages on, we are witnessing the highest level of illegal migrants to ever enter our nation – including individuals on the terror watchlist who are bringing drugs, crime, and economic instability across the country. This poses a national security threat that must be addressed, just like we also must handle the growing threat of our foreign adversaries like China, Russia, and North Korea.

“I was proud to support the FY25 Homeland Security, State and Foreign Operations, and Defense Appropriations bills which provide commonsense funding to sustain 22,000 Border Patrol agents, multiple initiatives to combat the flow of fentanyl, support our allies abroad as they defend their freedom, and provide necessary salary increases for our brave service members who sacrifice everything to defend our nation. These bills follow the spending caps and cuts agreed to in the Fiscal Responsibility Act negotiated in 2023. I will continue to fight in Congress to safeguard Arkansan and American values and protect the security of our great nation.”

Further Background:

H.R. 8752 - Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations Act: This bill provides funding to the Department of Homeland Security to invest in methods of securing our border, defending our country, and putting an end to the flow of illegal migrants.

H.R. 8771 - Fiscal Year 2025 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act: This bill provides funding to the State Department, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs to protect our national security, safeguard our economic interests, support our allies and partners, and promote democracy and freedom abroad.

H.R. 8774 - Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act: This bill provides funding to the Department of Defense to modernize our defensive capabilities, protect our national security, and invest in new ways to counter China and other threats. This bill also increases the pay for all service members by 4.5% and increases the pay for all junior service members by 15%.