Biden sets new record for terrorism suspects at border
The former vice president set a new record for persons held by the U.S. government while suspected of being involved in terrorism at the southern border, according to a report by the Homeland Security Department (DHS).
Biden told Congress at a June 10 hearing that the number of terrorists being held at the southern border had increased.
“During our two terms in the White House, between February 2009 and February 2014, our border security operation, the largest ever deployed, has apprehended or returned to detention the following terrorist or suspected terrorist: 2,966,” he said, according to a transcript of the hearing released by DHS.
Biden went on to list the countries where terrorists or suspected terrorists have been apprehended. But the number of people held at the southern border, which includes individuals suspected as having committed crimes, crimes awaiting trial or immigration violations, has risen to 41,037 as of September 20, according to DHS.
His remarks also included a new record of having at least one person in custody at the southern border with as many as 21 people held, a point the former vice president made after questioning the accuracy of border detention numbers.
The Associated Press has reported the number is 19,539 as of September 20. That figure includes people in custody for crimes such as rape, robbery and arson. However, it still does not include those held for immigration violations.
Although a total of 41,037 people apprehended at the southern border had been detained since the beginning of the Obama presidency, the majority of those in custody for crimes have been at the border since the end of the Bush administration, according to DHS data.
As of September 20, 2013, the number of persons in custody for immigration violations was at 10,824 for the full year.
The new figures for people detained by the U.S. government for suspected involvement in terrorism at the southern border are contained in a report by the Homeland Security Department (DHS) entitled “Transparency of Detentions at the Southern Border: FY 2012 at the Current and Projected Numbers,” which was released on June 10, 2014.
The report said that the number of persons held by the Obama administration from February 2009