Accusations of a cover-up at the southern border by the Biden-Harris administration have emerged from a former Border Patrol chief.
At a Glance
- Former Border Patrol official Aaron Heitke accused the Biden-Harris administration of covering up the migrant crisis.
- Heitke testified before the House Homeland Security Committee, claiming the White House shielded information from the press about dangerous migrants with terror ties.
- He was ordered to release hundreds of illegal aliens daily into communities that could not support them.
- SIAs’ arrests surged in the San Diego sector, dramatically spiking under the current administration.
- Over 1.7 million “gotaways” with unknown terror affiliations or risks entered the US without being apprehended.
Testimony from Aaron Heitke
Aaron Heitke, former chief of the San Diego Sector Border Patrol, testified to the House Committee on Homeland Security. Heitke alleged that the Biden-Harris Administration prevented him from revealing the number of terrorist suspects encountered and detained at the southern border. He claimed this information was intentionally concealed to convince the public that there was no threat at the border. Heitke’s testimony has bolstered accusations of a “self-inflicted border crisis” by the GOP.
Heitke reported being ordered to release hundreds of illegal aliens each day into communities that had neither the resources nor the capabilities to support them. These actions were allegedly part of a broader strategy to manage the crisis by relocating migrants out of media visibility areas. Heitke also revealed that the administration’s flights from San Diego to Texas for migrant relocation cost $150,000 per flight. Heitke underscored that the administration barred him from discussing the increase in crossings by Special Interest Aliens (SIAs).
A former border Patrol Chief recently testified that the Biden-Harris administration stopped him from releasing information on a spike in suspected terrorists illegally entering the U.S.
We cannot let this go under the radar — our Border Czar must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/bbuO2khzU4
— Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (@RepDesposito) September 19, 2024
Spike in SIA Arrests and “Gotaways”
Under the Biden-Harris administration, SIA arrests in the San Diego sector surged from approximately 10-15 per year to over 100 in 2022, with continued increases in subsequent years. The administration reportedly attempted to keep this information from reaching the public by restricting Heitke’s communication. Additionally, over 1.7 million “gotaways” with potential terror affiliations evaded capture and entered the US. These figures highlight significant lapses in border security under the current administration.
“At the time, I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIAs or mention any of the arrests,” Heitke said. “The administration was trying to convince the public there was no threat at the border.”
Context and Broader Implications
Heitke’s testimony forms part of a larger narrative illustrating alleged failures by the Biden-Harris administration to address immigration challenges at the southern border. From fiscal year 2021 to 2024, 382 individuals on the terrorist watchlist were intercepted at the U.S.-Mexico border, a stark contrast to 11 individuals from fiscal years 2017 to 2020. Concerns have been raised about foreign terrorist networks leveraging criminal smuggling rings to infiltrate the US. The administration’s policies have come under sustained scrutiny for potentially compromising national security.
Since the Biden-Harris administration took office, there has been a significant departure from Trump-era border enforcement policies. Critics argue that these changes have exacerbated the migrant crisis at the border. Former Border Patrol chief Rodney Scott contended that the current administration “intentionally” opened the US border, impairing agents’ abilities to perform their duties. With over 10.1 million alien encounters nationwide and more than 8.2 million along the Southwest border, the criticism of the administration’s handling of border security grows louder as the upcoming election nears.
