House Republicans are demanding that Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas provide Congress with regular updates on efforts to locate undocumented migrants from Uzbekistan who entered the U.S. via a human trafficking network.
The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed the existence of this network, revealing that one of its overseas members had links to a foreign terrorist organization.
Led by Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., eight House Republicans wrote a letter expressing their deep concern about Uzbek nationals crossing the southern border with the assistance of a human smuggler connected to ISIS and subsequently being released into the United States by the Biden Administration.
The lawmakers criticized the administration’s handling of this security threat and called on Mayorkas to take the situation seriously. They emphasized the importance of locating and questioning these individuals to ensure they do not pose an imminent threat and requested regular updates on the search progress.
Since 2005, USAID has invested over $9.6M in Uzbekistan to raise awareness of human trafficking, provide help to the victims and strengthen local communities. A more empowered community can be more resilient and better equipped to manage social and economic challenges. pic.twitter.com/QJWk9yfIC1
— USAID Uzbekistan (@USAIDUzbekistan) July 14, 2023
The letter also urged the Department of Homeland Security to update its rules to prevent asylum seekers with ties to ISIS or other terrorist groups from entering the U.S.
The NSC had previously stated that the U.S. is working with allies to disrupt the border smuggling routes used by this network. It clarified that there was no current indication that the individuals facilitated by this network had connections to foreign terrorist organizations or were involved in planning terrorist attacks in the U.S.
Biden forgets the name of his own DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas:
"The secretary of homeland security! The guy who took the job, uhh — thank you for taking the job, pal." pic.twitter.com/7ogXRREgkW
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 29, 2023
Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the letter but did not receive an immediate response. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about border security, particularly in the context of increasing migrant activity.