Border agents have encountered people on the federal terrorist watch list nearly 1,700 times since President Joe Biden took office; that means those people were arrested while trying to enter the United States.
The latest data shows 1,664 encounters from fiscal year 2021, Oct. 30, 2020, to May 15, 2024. That includes nearly three months before Biden takes office.
The watchlist contains terrorists and known or suspected individuals “who pose a potential threat”.
About 78% of encounters occurred at legal ports, where entry into the United States can be denied. The other 367 encounters occurred between legal ports, almost all on the southwestern border. These people can be detained and deported. The 1,700 claim was made June 4 by Fox Business television host Elizabeth MacDonald while interviewing U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis. A Fox spokesperson provided no evidence that any of the encounters resulted in fines.
