Dozens of illegal immigrants from countries linked to extensive terrorist activity were caught at the southern border in Texas during the past week, authorities said Friday.
Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) encountered the migrants among two large groups. The first of 230 illegal immigrants was apprehended Sept. 30.
Among that group were 27 people from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt and India, a DPS statement said. They were turned over to the federal authorities.
"It is this type of activity, these attempted illegal crossings between the ports of entry by people coming from areas that are hot spots for terrorist activity that clearly highlight the concerns of Governor Abbott and the state of Texas," said DPS Director Steven McCraw. "These are not illegal immigrants seeking asylum – these are people trying to cross into the United States undetected who may also be trying to do us harm."
Special interest nations are those with extensive terrorist activity.
Another 41 people in the first group were arrested for criminal trespass. They were citizens of Brazil, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Argentina, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
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A second group of illegal immigrants was spotted on Wednesday just north of the border town of Eagle Pass. Of the 135 people apprehended, 13 hailed from Turkey and one from China, authorities said. In a separate arrest, authorities took Umar Farooq Ashraf, a South African citizen, into custody on Sept. 21.
He was among a group of 15 illegal immigrants trespassing in Normandy, Texas, located across the border from Mexico.
Troopers were alerted by the Terror Screening Center that Ashraf could be related to a known or suspected terrorist. He remains in custody on criminal trespass charges.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its annual threat assessment this week warning of migrants with terrorist ties.
"Over the next year, we expect some individuals with terrorism ties and some criminal actors will continue their efforts to exploit migration flows and the complex border security environment to enter the United States," the assessment states. "Individuals with potential terrorism connections continue to attempt to enter the Homeland at both the US-Mexico and US-Canada borders and also through the immigration system," it continued.
