Minnesota State Wire

Pete Stauber, Representative of Minnesota, said that recent border apprehensions of individuals with terrorist ties highlight ongoing national security concerns under current immigration policies. The statement was made on X.

"Biden's open border policies continue to jeopardize our national security," said Stauber. "Among those apprehended was an individual in St. Paul – a former member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps w/known ties to Hezbollah. I'm grateful to the Trump Administration for their continued efforts to undo Biden's mess and protect our communities."

Minnesota has experienced increased operations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), targeting foreign nationals linked to national security threats. This includes the arrest of Iranian national Mehran Makari Saheli in St. Paul for suspected terrorist connections, as reported by CBS News. These actions are part of a broader federal focus on countering espionage and terrorism in the Midwest.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. border officials encountered 772 individuals on the Terrorist Screening Dataset at ports of entry in fiscal year 2024. This marks a significant increase from 410 such encounters the previous year, underscoring growing security concerns at the border.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data indicate that under the Biden administration, 772 suspected terrorist watchlist individuals were encountered at entry points in FY 2024, compared to 564 in FY 2022. The Biden administration’s policy differs from Trump-era approaches by restricting sensitive-location enforcement while emphasizing terrorism screening.

According to his official House biography, Stauber is a former St. Louis County sheriff and current U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 8th District. He is known for prioritizing law enforcement, border security, and co-sponsoring legislation to enhance terrorism screening and public safety infrastructure.