In the past week, Department of Public Safety troopers have arrested dozens of “special interest aliens” (SIAs) which is raising alarm. Primarily, they are men from “countries of foreign concern” including from Iran, a designated State Sponsor of Terrorism.
The continued arrests have been made possible under Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star.
DPS Lt. Chris Olivarez said in a series of social media posts that “dozens” have been arrested in just the past week. The Center Square reports the U.S. Department of Homeland Security explains SIAs as noncitizens who, based “on an analysis of travel patterns,” are “known or evaluated to possibly have a nexus to terrorism” who “potentially poses a national security risk to the United States.”
Having an SIA designation does not necessarily mean the individual is a terrorist, but their travel pattern “indicates a possible nexus to nefarious activity (including terrorism) and, at a minimum, provides indicators that necessitate heightened screening and further investigation,” DHS says.
Out of 165 foreign nationals apprehended by DPS in just one day, October 11, 14 of them were identified as SIAs- citizens of Iran, Egypt, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nationals illegally entered Texas from Mexico and were apprehended in Quernado, outside of Eagle Pass.
DPS troopers also arrested 57 illegal foreign nationals for criminal trespass – citizens of Peru, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Guatemala, and Ecuador, Olivarez said.
On Oct. 13, Texas DPS troopers recovered 29 “unaccompanied alien children” (UACs) between the ages of 10 and 17. They all claimed to already have sponsors in New York, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, and other states, he said.
On Oct. 14, Texas DPS troopers also recovered 23 UACs including 16 boys and seven girls, he said. Olivarez published a video of the UACs who stated their ages in Spanish.
On Oct. 14, Texas DPS troopers also apprehended a large group of illegal border crossers on private property in Maverick County. They included family groups, the 23 UACs and 22 SIAs – citizens of Egypt and Turkey, Olivarez said.
Last month, troopers apprehended SIAs from Turkey, all single military age men, The Center Square reported.
