DHS Lets Illegals Enter U.S. Without ID, Harming National Security, Inspector General Says

The Department of Homeland Security is letting illegal immigrants who don’t present identification enter the United States and roam freely, a move the department’s inspector general says puts the country at risk.

“Under current processes, CBP and ICE cannot ensure they are keeping high-risk noncitizens without identification from entering the country,” new inspector general report said. “Additionally, TSA cannot ensure its vetting and screening procedures prevent high-risk noncitizens who may pose a threat to the flying public from boarding domestic flights.”

DHS does not log whether it has seen identification for aliens or merely accepted the name they verbally present, so it is unclear exactly how many aliens are admitted to the country with unconfirmed identities. But at least 13% had no documentation upon entry, the inspector general said.

Any criminal background checks run against a false name, of course, would yield meaningless results.

“CBP and ICE immigration officers we interviewed acknowledged the risks of allowing noncitizens without identification into the country, yet neither CBP nor ICE conducted a comprehensive risk assessment for these noncitizens,” the inspector general added.

The inspector general recommended several reforms in the interest of national security. But the Department of Homeland Security refused to implement those measures, the report said, saying if it was forced to detain all the illegals who showed up with no identification from their home countries, it could not fit them in its 42,000 beds. The inspector general countered that there are other options.

The refusal to abide by the inspector general’s recommendations highlights how Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has thumbed his nose not only at Congress, but at his own department’s watchdog. Inspectors general are independent officers empowered to monitor agencies for wrongdoing and mismanagement, and have been historically considered by members of both parties as an important element of good governance.

Illegal immigrants without identification can be simply denied admission, but if they claim to fear persecution in their home country, they “may be released into the country to await further hearings.” The administration can also let them in if they claim there is a “significant public benefit.”

“Prior to releasing these individuals, CBP and ICE immigration officers accept self-reported biographical information, which they use to issue various immigration forms. Once in the United States, noncitizens can travel on domestic flights,” the inspector general said.

Non-citizens are allowed to fly on planes by taking a picture and confirming that they match the photo on record using the Biden-Harris administration’s CPB One app. But that merely confirms they are the same person who presented at the border, not that they are who they claimed to be.

The inspector general said at least one noncitizen released into the United States was on the FBI’s Terrorist Watchlist. Several examples of apparent national security risks, failures, and damning information were redacted from the report.

The report noted that when it came to Afghan refugees, “CBP admitted or paroled dozens of evacuees with derogatory information into the country,” such as someone who was freed from prison in Afghanistan by the Taliban as it seized control of the country. Of 89,000 Afghan refugees in a database, 11,110 listed their birthday as January 1, while some simply used an abbreviation for “unknown” in their first or last name field.

The report said the government takes illegal immigrants’ fingerprints before admitting them to the United States, but that their screening systems didn’t connect to key databases, such as the Department of Defense’s Biometrically Enabled Watchlist.

While the report says that DHS “may” collect DNA samples from illegal immigrants, the officials previously in charge of that program have testified to Congress that DHS often refuses to take DNA samples that could reliably identify illegal immigrants, despite a law requiring they do so. When it does, it doesn’t wait for results to come back before releasing the aliens.

“We recommend that the Director of ICE conduct a comprehensive analysis of the risks associated with releasing noncitizens without identification from ICE custody and develop and implement policies and procedures to mitigate those risks,” the inspector general said, adding that “the Department did not concur with the recommendations we offered.”

The inspector general also said the Transportation Security Administration dismissed its recommendations about unidentified people flying on airplanes, while refusing to provide evidence to support its dismissal. “This recommendation is open and unresolved until TSA provides evidence,” the report said.

President Joe Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris “to lead our efforts with Mexico and the Northern Triangle and the countries that help — are going to need help in stemming the movement of so many folks, stemming the migration to our southern border.”