A new report from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has raised serious concerns over the Biden-Harris administration‘s handling of identification protocols for noncitizens boarding domestic flights. The OIG report criticizes agencies, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), for inadequate risk assessments in allowing migrants without valid identification to enter the country and access U.S. domestic flights.
Key Findings from the OIG Report
The OIG report highlights significant lapses in current processes:
–Risk Assessment Gaps: The report indicates that CBP and ICE lack systems to reliably identify high-risk individuals without valid ID from entering the United States. It also notes that TSA’s screening and vetting processes are insufficient to prevent potential threats from boarding flights.
–Reliance on Self-Reported Information: According to the report, CBP and ICE are using self-reported biographical data from migrants to issue immigration forms, enabling them to board flights even in the absence of proper ID. This approach, the report says, undermines security as it does not provide a verified basis for identity.
–Data Inconsistencies: When OIG requested data on the number of noncitizens without ID released into the U.S. from 2021 to 2023, neither CBP nor ICE could provide the information, as they reportedly do not track noncitizen ID status within their databases.
The report points out that TSA relies heavily on CBP and ICE to provide accurate background checks on noncitizens, which TSA uses in screening assessments. However, the OIG warns that incomplete data could lead to security risks, as TSA’s methods might fail to intercept individuals who pose potential threats to public safety on flights.
Specific Incidents and Program Weaknesses
The OIG document, which includes several redacted sections, references a TSA assessment of the CBP One mobile app, used as part of migrant screening. The assessment’s results remain undisclosed. The report also mentions similar vulnerabilities in CBP’s vetting processes, citing cases such as a noncitizen on the FBI Terror Watchlist who was released in 2022, as well as two Afghan nationals paroled into the U.S. through Operation Allies Welcome, who reportedly posed potential security risks.
In its concluding remarks, the report cautions that without enhanced identification and tracking systems, “CBP and ICE may inadvertently increase national security risks by allowing noncitizens—whose identities are unverified—to enter the U.S.”
Breitbart’s Randy Clark reports:
As reported by Breitbart Texas, TSA has created special express lanes to accommodate migrants released by ICE and CBP who do not possess identity documents.
CBP and ICE officers interviewed by investigators clearly acknowledged the risks associated of allowing migrants without valid identification into the country and ignoring federal law that says the migrants “shall be detained.”
The report redacted information regarding the risk and reliability of the TSA using the CBP-One smartphone application to verify identity. The Biden-Harris administration has used the application, never authorized by Congress, to admit up to 1,450 migrants into the United States daily. As reported by Breitbart Texas, some of the migrants have been admitted without being asked any questions related to the validity of their asylum claim.
Three recommendations were offered to CBP, ICE, and TSA to mitigate the risks associated with releasing the unidentified migrants and allowing them to board domestic flights:
Recommendation 1: We recommend that the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner of CBP conduct a comprehensive analysis of the risks associated with releasing noncitizens into the country without identification and develop and implement policies and procedures to mitigate those risks.
Recommendation 2: 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.
Recommendation 3: We recommend that the TSA Administrator use the results of the Requirements and Capabilities Analysis office’s updated CBP OneTM risk assessment to develop and implement policy and procedural changes needed to mitigate risks REDACTED.
DHS Response to OIG’s Findings
In response to the OIG report, DHS expressed disagreement with the conclusions. DHS cited resource limitations, specifically the lack of detention capacity, as a major factor constraining the agencies’ ability to detain individuals lacking ID. Key agency statements include:
–ICE’s Capacity Constraints: ICE stated its detention capacity, limited to 41,500 beds, is insufficient for detaining all noncitizens lacking identification and valid travel documents.
–CBP’s Short-Term Detention Policy: CBP clarified that its facilities are designated for short-term detention only, adding that they are legally prohibited from holding noncitizens for extended periods.
–TSA Policy Adjustments: TSA commented that the report does not accurately represent its current policies and procedures.
