The Palm Beach County Sheriff and state lawmakers are sharing their concerns about the possibility of terrorists crossing the US-Mexico border following the FBI director discussing that possibility.
"I've actually been in law enforcement for 52 years. This is the worst I’ve seen it," said Sheriff Ric Bradshaw. "I watched a surveillance video that was taken down in Texas of 10 guys, military-aged, dressed in camouflage, backpack, they had carpet on their shoes so they didn’t leave footprints, in a military formation coming into the country. What do you think they’re here for? They’re not here to play the lotto. They’re going to do bad things."
The sheriff points to the FBI director’s recent comments to a senate panel about the possibility of terrorists crossing the border.
"We have concerns that there could be a vulnerability that terrorist organizations could seek to exploit. I would add that we are not at the moment tracking any specific terrorist plot coming across the border in that regard,” said Christopher Wray, the FBI director.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R- Texas) asked Wray a question during the Senate panel hearing on Monday.
“I worry that among the people who are coming across the border and are evading law enforcement that there are some people among those who mean to do us harm. Do you share that concern?” said Cornyn.
“I do,” said Wray.
"(Wray) is worried that there are people from ISIS, people from the terrorist watch list who can be in the United States,” said Bradshaw. “People have to pay attention. We need the help from the public also. Our program if you know something or see something say something is very important now." Homeland Security officials confirm since January 2021, there have been about 1.8 million people who’ve crossed the border who were able to evade border patrol agents and the FBI director says it’s unclear how many could be terrorists.
WPBF 25 News spoke with Democratic and Republican state lawmakers about the comments by Bradshaw and Wray.
"I think it should be about the security of our nation and of people who live here, so I think that the politicians need to get together and fix this. Both sides are the problem,” said State Rep. Katherine Waldron (D- Palm Beach County).
"This truly is a matter of national security," said State Rep. John Snyder (R- Martin and Palm Beach Counties). "This impacts every person in the United States and that’s why we are calling on the president to take action. There are executive actions in his toolbox that he could take that could fix this problem overnight."
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast (R- Florida's 21st Congressional District) sent the following statement to WPBF 25 News:
“The FBI confirmed what we already knew. Because of Joe Biden’s open border policy, we have millions of migrants flocking to our southern border, and even taking boats to come to our Florida s****s. Just since this past October, there have already been 58 individuals on the terrorist watchlist apprehended while attempting to enter our country. Joe Biden can secure the border if he chooses, but instead, he rolled the red carpet to these illegal immigrants and terrorists.”
WPBF 25 News has reached out to the Biden Administration for a comment, but so far, we have not heard back.
