The Department of Homeland Security has authorized so many thousands of immigrants to fly from foreign airports into undisclosed American ones in the past year that identifying the airports by name would enable “bad actors” to find security vulnerabilities and compromise public safety, government attorneys have alleged in arguments for withholding airport locations.
The government’s claim that its little-known immigrant-flight program has created law airport security vulnerabilities comes in response to a Center for Immigration Studies lawsuit seeking data about the program, including the names of foreign departure airports and of receiving U.S. airports.
Data from the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit shows that more than 320,000 immigrants from October 2022 through December 2023 were authorized to fly into 43 U.S. airports after applying for “humanitarian parole” on the mobile phone “CBP One” app.
The CBP One flights program at the center of the FOIA litigation is perhaps the most enigmatic of the Biden administration’s uses of the CBP One cell phone scheduling app, even though it is responsible for almost invisibly importing by air 320,000 immigrants into the United States since late 2022. It remains part of the administration’s “lawful pathways” strategy, with its purpose being to reduce the number of illegal border entries between ports of entry. The countries whose citizens are eligible are Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia and Ecuador.
All of these nationalities can be authorized to fly in, at their own expense, if they can show they have a relative or non-family financial sponsor (which can even be “an organization, business, or other entity”) and meet other requirements, such as owning a valid passport and passing security checks based on biometric information provided through the CBP One app.
Upon receiving authorization from Washington, they buy air passage to U.S. international airports, where CBP personnel process them for release in short order.
Many large immigrant-receiving cities and media have been putting the blame for immigrant influxes on Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing program. This airport location information would almost certainly provide a more accurate and complete picture of what is happening. As a result, it would undermine the administration’s policy of blaming the surge of migrants into blue cities on Abbott.
Whatever the numbers the federal government is clearly contributing to the direct-flights authorization program.
Department of Justice attorneys have steadfastly refused to name the U.S. airports receiving these expedited migrant arrivals, which would allow a more accurate tally of the federally authorized immigration. They cite a law enforcement FOIA loophole known as Exception (b)(7)(E).
The government attorneys told CIS in email communications and summarized in a CIS Joint Status Filing that they applied the law enforcement exception on the grounds that identifying airports of entry “would, either standing alone or combined with other information, reveal operational vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bad actors altering their patterns of conduct, adopting new methods of operation, and taking other countermeasures thereby undermining CBP’s law enforcement efforts to secure the United States borders.”
One interpretation of the government’s explanation is that, due to the high volume of immigrants flying in, the administration’s program has stretched resources so much it is compromising airport security.
The agency’s attorneys floated a similar argument for withholding the locations of foreign departure airports, adding that “bad actors” abroad who found out about the “resources expended toward travelers arriving from particular airports” could “extrapolate” from the numbers leaving foreign airports to identify the receiving U.S. airports and then undermine law enforcement’s ability to secure the border (which includes international airports).
The government attorneys provided no information as to how this increased immigrant air traffic had created “operational vulnerabilities,” although the government attorneys likely will have future opportunities to argue their case before a federal judge.
Colin M. Farnsworth, CIS’s chief FOIA counsel, said the center rejects the government’s explanation about bad actors exploiting “operational vulnerabilities” at airports because CBP pre-screens and pre-schedules the arrival of CBP One applicants at each port of entry. He said CIS will litigate for a total release of the airport information.
Todd Bensman is a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies and the author of “Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History.”
Reprinted with Permission from The DC Journal – By Todd Bensman
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
The Biden administration has been doing this both directly and also indirectly, through a number of government funded NGOs, since 2021. From late night flights into regional airports and awaiting busses to near by cities to simply handing illegals plane tickets and a package of “freebies” (all taxpayer funded), the plan to flood the United States with tens of millions of additional illegal aliens has been a long-term goal of Democrats since the mid 1960s. Pay attention to what is happening all around, because burying one’s head in the sand and hoping it all goes away isn’t a viable strategy.
Why would you want a president that doesn’t value our country and its citizens??
Biden should Thrown in prison and be Prosecuted as a Trader with China.The crook took payments from the Enemy.
I can’t imagine how he can legally fly these illegals in Because they’re not crossing the border We are chauffeuring them is a croc and I think we should be able to stop it because that is against the law but then again what does this man do that is the law he’s always going against it he even goes against the Supreme Court when they tell him he cannot Stop the college education payments
When I first heard this story on a local radio program, I said a few colorful words and then thought about the recent massive prison escape from Haiti. Now I wonder if biden has sent airplanes to Haiti and is keeping them there on standby to bring these miserable subhumans to our country. I wouldn’t doubt it. Everything biden and his buddies are doing exposes all of us citizens to risks we never used to worry about.
As for withholding information about these thousand or so flights, all their excuses are BS. They are the Masters of BS.
What a horrible thought that I should get a gun because of the greater risk to my safety rather than to be in support of the second amendment. Now, both apply. Thanks, Joe.
The mainstream media will continue to put lipstick on Biden. He’ll still be Biden, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.
These actions are nothing short of Treason.
Excellent article. The DHS are Cowards like Dictator Beijing biden. They would have to admit the thousands of Illegal Alien Terrorist they flew all over the country in the middle of the night.
Flight Logs including Witnesses will show all the flights of flying his Illegal Alien Terrorist in the middle of the night. Unless of course, they will interfere/hide the Public Records under Dictator Beijing biden’s orders which we all know how he has lied from day one of his Illegal Alien Terrorist Invasion.
But, WE THE PEOPLE know the
TRUTH.
This administration is pure scum for putting ILLEGAL ALIENS first and America last. Way to go, Traitor Joe!
Have been reading this article in a few other news sites since it broke. It outrages me!!! Basically what I have noticed is very few Americans share that outrage. What’s up America?
Please stop calling them “Migrants”, they are ILLEGAL ALIENS! They broke the law to enter our country and they are an insult to all the immigrants who came to America legally, learned to speak English, swore to uphold the constitution and the laws of our country and became American citizens, and even joined the military and fought – and died – defending our country.
They have been doing this constantly since 2021. Numerous flights into the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport starting in 2021. They were caught in New York. They’ve been delivering them by air all over our country. You only hear them bellyache about buses from TX and FL. Well, that’s nothing.
Put lipstick on a pig… is still a pig!
We the legal American citizens who pay for all these migrants, that come here illegally, get no help from our govt but we bear the cost for these migrants. This has been going on from day one of ole Joe’s installation. Soon all the Magas will be picked up and send to these countries on the return flight. Maybe that is already happening. Keep the citizens in the dark. But make sure their taxes pay for this. All people who applied to emigrate to America legally should also be given the same treatment. DEI? America is being destroyed. By replacing those opposed to the left wing with people who came here illegally. Magas have nothing to do with race. We want people coming here legally. But the left doesn’t believe in obeying the laws of the land. They make their own laws, say who is guilty and punish them accordingly. All on charges that the left says they have broken, they don’t say only that we are racists. No we are patriotic and want America back like the founding fathers created. I think there is more freedom in Iran than here.
Here’s an idea instead of flying them to my home… fly ’em back to theirs! (I’m not watching this traitor address Congress tonight. The only thing I want from him is “three” little words: I RESIGN!
Our Democrat “leadership” is now focused on allowing a rogue’s gallery of foreign wildlife to come and reside in our country.
Of course, what they’re doing is horribly illegal; and will fuel a huge crime spree with many casualties.
I guess the cartels pay the dems well.
A presidential administration running and smuggling illegal aliens all through the interior of (pains me to say this) ‘his’ own country? “No treason here, folks. Move along…. and drop off your legally owned firearms over there…”
Suddenly in 2023 Alaska Airlines and Southwest stopped flights between Spokane and Seattle. Now to fly to Spokane from Seattle a 6 hr layover in San Jose or Phoenix. You can drive either way in less than 5 hrs. They say the reason is not enough passengers. BS, I’ve flown and others have said the flights are always full. Spokane is building a third Concourse. Not a huge Airport but plenty busy when I’ve flown out of there 4 times in past year. The surrounding hotels always full. Makes you wonder if it’s being used as a “Secret Airport”.
They fly free and do not have to go through TSA
Barack Obama’s Promise
Keep in mind, considering our current border invasion, Barack Obama, speaking to the 2008 DNC, to the cheers of thousands, made a promise. He stated, “I’m going to form a civilian force equal to and as well-funded as the military.” It’s taken a while until his 3rd term hiding behind Joe Biden and his cadre controlling Joe, are seeing his evil dream come true. We aren’t out of this mess yet. Prayer, fasting and repentance for our malfeasance in our stewardship of this most blessed nation. This is a big part of this all-out spiritual war against “evil forces in high places.
Yes, they are. The democrats always use illegal immigrants as pawns and will as long as we let them. Democrat politicians always need to use a pawn. Wakeup people!
biden and all his administration traitors who have done this need to be executed for high treason.
Who in the hell is Cuba sending us??? Is our glorious government going to tell us. Why, of course, NOT!!!!!!
Come on in! Uncle Joe will provide you with all your wants and needs.
Yes they are but they do it mostly at night. Like the vermin that they are, they slither around and try to remain undetected. The “administration” is screwing their own democrat governors and trying to blame the republicans. The illegals can get on planes with little to no identification. Let an American citizen try that and see how far it would get them. Disgraceful. I hope the still sleeping socialist democrats can wake up before November and help MAGA.
The Whitehouse traitors are send them to Michigan where govenor halfwhit whitmer is RUINING Our state with California style STUPIDITY!
THROW THEM OUT- EVERY marxist democrat!
They are NOTmigrants,they are illegal ALIEN densocRAT voters and the PATRIOTIC AMERICANS will deal with this democRAT overreach.We will,so you democRATS be very careful what you wish for.
Why are my taxes being wasted on this crap?
Isn’t it ironical that when a conservative governor openly ships illegal migrants to another city it’s call a stunt. But, when the Biden administration secretly does it they go silent and won’t own it. Just like everything else He does, it’s a lie. We put him there and we can remove him!
Better known as the Willy Wonka Golden Ticket.
I have family in New Jersey. I live in Arizona. I’m thinking of going to Mexico cross the border illegally to the U.S. and ask to be sent to New Jersey.
“Many large immigrant-receiving cities and media have been putting the blame for immigrant influxes on Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s busing program.” Now for some TRUTH: They are NOT ‘immigrant influxes’ they are ILLEGALS sneaking into America through the back door. Gov. Abbott made clear to Biden he cannot sustain the THOUSANDS of illegals flowing in through the WIDE OPEN Border that Biden’s Administration REFUSES to control. ALL countries have LAWS for legally immigrating into their country for the SAFETY OF THEIR CITIZENS. Biden gave Abbott no choice but to begin bussing the thousands of illegals to other parts of the country, such as to Sanctuary Cities, blessed by only the Democrat Party. The Federal Government is abusing our laws of the land. CanNOT blame Gov. Abbott for that!
WHY is he doing this while we have THOUSANDS of American Citizens homeless????
Biden does a lot of things that he isn’t authorized to do!! After all, he’s ‘the big guy’ so of course he thinks he can do whatever he wants – like forgive student loans!!! I’m extremely disgusted with Democrats and their chosen leader!! I can’t wait til they are gone and we can get back to some success and happiness in our country again and get away from all of this Democrat hate!!!
Biden is the most non caring president that has ever been in Washington and the Dems think he is the answer to all our problems in this country all lies some hate Trump but here it is we have t vote I will never vote for Biden and that VP of his all she does is smile like all is great what is going on in this country. With Biden shipping all the Illegals all over this country the could be in a persons back yard we will see what mistake he has made with all the people he does not know nothing about we the people will have to live with them and what they might do very sad for our country.
“Bad actors” ???? Those who developed and implemented this program are the bad actors. They, and whoever is the responsible leadership of this program, are guilty of treason in my opinion. They should be trie, removed from office, and suffer the consequences of accessories to whatever additional crimes these 320,000+ ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS have committed so long as any remain. They should also have to pay the costs of expediting these people back to where they came from. Get the government out of “mission” work and leave that to churches. The churches will at least care for children of God, not use them as political votes. What a disgrace. Unconscionable!
UNBELIVABLE- IT’S AGAINST THE LAW- HOW DOES IT CONTINUE TO GO ON?
You keep spelling alien wrong.
Unknown for CA
“Buy concrete?”
SPAM