Texas DPS sounds alarm on ‘special interest aliens’ illegally entering from Mexico

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.”

Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez is sounding the alarm about an increase of “Special Interest Aliens” (SIAs) being apprehended attempting to illegally enter the U.S. from Mexico.

In a social media post, he published a video of an interview between a Texas DPS trooper and a Turkish national, who was with a group of other Turkish men who illegally entered the country and were identified as SIAs.

Each of the SIAs had Turkish passports and were military age men.

The video depicts a female Texas Department of Public Safety trooper interviewing a Turkish national who spoke English. She asked him, “how did you guys make it over here?”

He said, “they found a network in Istanbul and some people took us first to Kuwait.”

When she asked them how they found the network, he replied, “Through Telegram, Instagram,” referring to a chat network and social media site.

He said they paid “$12 grand a person,” and the men with him confirmed they also paid that amount. He also said he didn’t know other people who were apprehended at the same time and standing nearby.

When she asked him what they were doing there in a remote area at the border, he said they were “looking for police to take us.”

“But do you have family, friends, anybody?” the trooper asked. “We have sponsors.”

When asked how they found the sponsors, he said through the network in Istanbul. When asked what a sponsor means, he said, “that means that they are going to take care of our expenses and everything.”

INTERVIEW VIDEO: @TxDPS Troopers interviewed a group of special interest immigrants from Turkey. One of the males spoke English and stated they each paid 12K to cross from Mexico & found a sponsor in New Jersey through a ‘network.’

When asked what a sponsor means, the male… https://t.co/Ad3emCiabz pic.twitter.com/wIhkJQzeEA

— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) September 20, 2024

Olivarez said they weren’t the only SIAs that DPS troopers apprehended.

In the last 48 hours, DPS troopers have come across eight SIAs from five countries, all apprehended in a rural area of Normandy, Texas, in Maverick County, he said.

Texas DPS “uses every tool and resource,” working with local, county, and federal law enforcement partners to screen SIAs properly, he said, and “to provide transparency to the American public” about who’s illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

SIAs are 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,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security explains.

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.”

In 2016 during the Obama administration, DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson ordered DHS to create a “‘multi-DHS Component SIA Joint Action Group’ to drive efforts to ‘counter the threats posed by the smuggling of SIAs.’” In 2019, the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security released a report outlining the threat posed by SIAs and “unknown and other potentially dangerous individuals, traveling to the United States using illicit pathways.”

Earlier this week, retired San Diego Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke testified before Congress about how he said the Biden administration instructed him to not publicize arrests of SIAs.

“We had an exponential increase in Significant Interest Aliens … with significant ties to terrorism” illegally entering in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection San Diego Sector, Heitke said.

Prior to the Biden-Harris administration, the sector averaged 10 to 15 SIAs per year. “Once word was out that the border was far easier to cross, San Diego went to over 100 SIAs in 2022, way over 100 SIAs in 2023 and more than that this year,” Heitke said.

“These are only the ones we caught,” meaning the number likely is higher because of the volume of gotaways, those who illegally cross the border and are not apprehended.

“At the time, I was told I could not release any information on this increase in SIA’s or mention any of the arrests,” Heitke testified. “The administration was trying to convince the public that there was no threat at the border.”

His testimony came as the greatest number of individuals on the U.S. federal terrorist watch list have been apprehended under the Biden-Harris administration of 1,856 since fiscal 2021 through August, The Center Square reported.

Up Next

Chronic Counter-terrorism Lapses at the Border

Don't Miss

WATCH: “Government Heroin” documentary exposes safer supply scandal in London, Ontario

Todayville

Todayville is a digital media and technology company. We profile unique stories and events in our community. Register and promote your community event for free.

Follow Author

Andrew Scheer exposes the Mark Carney Canadians should know

Daily Caller / 3 hours ago

NEWT GINGRICH: Europe’s Elites Were Finally Told To Take A Look In The Mirror

armed forces / 4 hours ago

Trump fires chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, appoints new military leader

illegal immigration

Trump signs executive order cutting off taxpayer-funded benefits for illegal aliens

Published on February 20, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday night barring illegal immigrants from receiving federally funded benefits, a move he says will ensure taxpayer dollars are reserved for American citizens in need.

Key Details:

The order directs federal agencies to identify and cut off benefits to illegal immigrants.
Trump argues the Biden administration “undermined” federal law and improperly expanded benefits to non-citizens.
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, is tasked with reviewing all federal funding sources for illegal aliens.
The order mandates stricter eligibility verification systems and calls for improper payments to be referred to the DOJ and DHS.

Diving Deeper:

President Donald Trump took executive action Wednesday night to block illegal immigrants from receiving taxpayer-funded federal benefits, calling the move necessary to uphold the rule of law and protect resources for American citizens, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

In signing the order, Trump pointed to the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), which was supposed to bar most illegal immigrants from accessing government benefits. However, he argued that multiple administrations—especially President Joe Biden’s—had worked to “undermine” these restrictions, effectively allowing taxpayer funds to support illegal immigration.

“The Biden administration repeatedly undercut the goals of that law, resulting in the improper expenditure of significant taxpayer resources,” Trump said. He further asserted that these benefits had acted as a “magnet” for illegal immigration, drawing more people across the border unlawfully.

The order directs the heads of all federal agencies to identify programs that currently allow illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-funded benefits and to take “all appropriate actions” to bring them in line with federal law. It also aims to prevent federal funds from subsidizing sanctuary policies, which shield illegal immigrants from deportation.

One of the most significant aspects of the order is the role of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a relatively new federal agency led by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. DOGE is tasked with reviewing all sources of federal funding for illegal immigrants and recommending additional measures to align spending with Trump’s directive. Trump has praised Musk and DOGE for cutting through bureaucratic resistance to implement his policies.

Additionally, the order calls for enhanced eligibility verification systems to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining benefits in the first place. Federal agencies are also required to refer any improper payments to the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security for further action.

The move is the latest in Trump’s aggressive crackdown on illegal immigration, a central issue of his presidency and his 2024 re-election campaign. With a focus on border security, ending sanctuary policies, and tightening federal spending, Trump’s executive order represents yet another step in his administration’s effort to reverse the policies of his predecessor and enforce strict immigration laws.

Crime

Cartel threats against border agents include explosives, drones

Published on February 18, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Cartels are intensifying their threats against U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents, employing increasingly sophisticated tactics, including drones, wireless tracking devices, and potential explosive attacks. As President Donald Trump strengthens border security measures, agents face growing dangers both at and beyond the southern border. Experts warn that these threats are an effort to counteract the administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

Key Details:

Cartels are using drones and wireless tracking to monitor and potentially attack Border Patrol and ICE agents.
The discovery of a security risk tied to body cameras has led CBP to suspend their use to prevent agents from being tracked.
Leaks of ICE raids pose additional threats, increasing the risk of ambushes against agents conducting enforcement operations.

Diving Deeper:

Cartels along the U.S.-Mexico border are becoming more aggressive as President Trump enforces stricter immigration policies, with reports indicating that border agents are facing an escalating range of security threats. Fox News reports that Mexican cartels are leveraging new technology to track and potentially harm Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, emphasized that cartels are feeling the pressure from Trump’s border policies and are resorting to dangerous countermeasures. “The cartels are losing business. The encounters at the border are the lowest they’ve been in decades, and the cartels are not just going to give up that business quietly,” Ries told Fox News.

Among the threats agents face are drones used for surveillance, gunfire from across the border, and even the possibility of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). A recent internal memo warned that cartels might be planning to use snipers positioned in Mexico to attack U.S. agents. Additionally, agents are now vulnerable to tracking through wireless technology, prompting CBP to suspend the use of body-worn cameras after a social media post revealed they could be exploited via Bluetooth scanning apps.

The suspension of body cameras has raised concerns about increased false claims against border agents. Ries warned that “the number of claims of abuse are about to jump to exploit this lack of camera use,” underscoring the challenges agents will face without recorded footage of their encounters.

Beyond external threats from cartels, agents must also contend with internal security risks. Leaks about upcoming ICE raids have made enforcement operations more dangerous, potentially exposing agents to ambushes. Ries noted, “That subjects ICE agents to an ambush… Worse would be if aliens stay here and attack ICE agents, that is a risk.”

To counter these threats, border security experts stress the need for increased congressional funding to provide CBP and ICE agents with enhanced technology, equipment, and manpower. Ries urged lawmakers to act swiftly, stating, “Congress needs to hurry up” to ensure agents have the necessary resources to carry out Trump’s mass deportation efforts and secure the southern border.

As cartels escalate their tactics in response to Trump’s immigration policies, the safety of border agents remains a growing concern, highlighting the urgent need for stronger enforcement and security measures.