An undocumented immigrant from China was apprehended following an incident where they allegedly drove onto a military installation in California. This development arises amidst growing concerns about the presence of Chinese nationals and individuals on the federal terrorism watchlist within the United States, amid an unprecedented surge in illegal immigration over recent years.
The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was taken into custody on Wednesday after gaining unauthorized access to a Marine Corps base in California. Reportedly, the immigrant entered the base without permission and disregarded instructions to depart.
“Acknowledging directives to exit at the Condor gate by installation security, the individual proceeded onto the installation without proper authorization. Military law enforcement responded promptly and detained the individual,” stated a spokesperson from the Marine Corps.
The apprehension was carried out by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), while the specific circumstances surrounding the trespassing incident are currently being investigated.
In FY 2023, 169 migrants with positive terrorism watchlist matches were apprehended along our southern border.
Led a group of colleagues in asking Biden Admin to bolster border and internal security measures following Hamas attacks in Israel and other global terror threats. pic.twitter.com/tdBOHapU2h
— Senator Todd Young (@SenToddYoung) October 30, 2023
Since October, there have been over 22,000 encounters along the southern border involving Chinese nationals.
An estimated seven million undocumented immigrants are believed to have entered the country since President Joe Biden assumed office in 2021. This figure encompasses a record-breaking three million migrant encounters at the nation’s borders last year.
Moreover, December 2023 witnessed the highest number of attempted border crossings in American history, surpassing 300,000 encounters for the first time ever.
There is heightened apprehension regarding attempted crossings by individuals listed on the federal terrorism watchlist. Last year, several lawmakers penned a letter to President Biden urging intensified enforcement measures to address this concern.
In their correspondence, the lawmakers emphasized their expectation for Biden to prioritize and adequately resource efforts aimed at safeguarding the homeland.
“While the exact affiliations and identities of these individuals remain classified, the significant uptick in encounters is deeply concerning. Even if these apprehensions represent a minority, the potential harm posed by a single individual with malicious intent cannot be overstated,” the letter underscored.
According to the lawmakers, there were 169 encounters with individuals on the watchlist recorded in 2023.
